Malicious Mal: This is how it starts
by Bloodyredshade
Summary: "The world turns and people die. The dirt has been dyed red with the blood of people long since dead. I want to make this world better. It's time for things to change. Let's get this started." Author Note: Fallout mixed with an element of a few other things. Hope everyone enjoys it.
1. Beginning

Disclaimer: I do not own anything.

Hello everyone I know that it has been a long time since I actually wrote anything so I hope my break has not dulled my writing skills. Hopefully I can continue my other stories. If I cannot than I'm afraid I'll have to delete them. What I want to do in this story is create a version of The Lone Wanderer that is unique. Something that we can all relate to, in some way shape or form, this is my attempt. Hopefully I'll succeed. No this isn't a Lone Wanderer dies and goes back to the past.

"Talking"

_Thoughts_

Beast

*****BEGINNING TRANSMISSION*****

Name: Abaddon Mal Goes by: Mal

Weapons: N/A

Apparel: Vault 101 Jumpsuit, Standard issue boots, Headphones, Hermonica, Black trench coat, Bible

Strength: 10

Intelligence: 10

Perception: 9

Agility: 9

Luck: 9

Endurance: 9

Charisma: 9

Perks: Almost Perfect, Commando, Daddy's Boy, Finesse, Lady Killer, Light Step, Silent Running, Jury Rigging and Strong Back.

(Note: I know that some of these perks are acquired later on in the game however, in this story he's being taught skills from his father who doesn't hide the past from him. Thus explaining the Commando perk which increases accuracy in V.A.T.S. Daddy's Boy self-explanatory, However, Almost perfect, Lady Killer, Light Step, Silent Running, and Strong Back are all skills that Abaddon has worked on for the first 18 years of his life with the help of Beast.)

Characteristics:

Gender: Male

Race: (Rare) American Indian/Filipino

Height: 5'1"

Age: 18

Blood Type: O+

Physical description: The first thing to notice about Abaddon is that he is shorter than average. Unfortunately it is unlikely that he will grow any taller seeing as he has reached the age of 18. Abaddon has black hair that is always shaved to a professional flat top. He has brown eyes slightly tan skin and has a strong jaw structure. He has three scars. A small one between his nose and upper lip where a falling pipe hit and spilt the skin down to the teeth, with stitches it healed up quickly leaving only a faded scar. A slightly jagged scar flows from his left cheek down to his chin. A product of a pip boy explosion, while working on a damaged pip-boy Abaddon's hand was hit by a boy named Butch (for details ask the overseer) which caused the small nuclear reactor in the pip-boy to go into critical mass, Abaddon managed to throw the damaged pip-boy into a containment unit, built for such purposes, before it could explode which would have brought the whole vault crashing down on us. The damaged pip-boy was safely contained but not before a shard from the containment unit broke off due to the explosive force and hit Abaddon resulting in the scar. With immediate surgery he was able to regain full function of his mouth, face and hearing. The last scar is located on his right hand where a kitchen knife was accidentally run through his hand. Further investigation revealed that Abaddon was thoroughly intoxicated before trying his new game called chicken fingers. No other attempts have been tried, at least none that are known about. Although weighing 200 pounds, only 8 percent is fat making him one of the fittest persons in the vault. He runs five miles on the treadmill with ease and it is suspected that if pushed he can run easily run 10 miles in 2 hours. He is also the strongest person in the vault. A prime candidate for security if it were not for his almost perfect scores, he ranks first in his class slightly beating Amata (The overseer's daughter) by a few points. He has shown great aptitude with fixing and repairing, vault systems and pip-boys with his nimble fingers. He wears the standard Vault 101 jumpsuit and is usually seen with a pair of makeshift headphones attached to his pip-boy. He is highly remarkable for his age.

Position: Officially Priest.

Unofficially: Head Technician, doctor/assistant, Repairman, musician, chef, and Psychologist.

Job Description(s): When Abaddon took the G.O.A.T, he was assigned the position Priest. The last time anyone was appointed to be a priest was a hundred and fifty years ago. Sadly the position has been vacant and no one has step in to fill the spot. Current census shows that a priest would be more detrimental than a benefit. Current population puts little faith in Christianity and thus would not benefit from sermons and other such services. Despite this Abaddon has taken to wearing a black trench coat and carries a bible. He has made no attempt to push Christianity onto the vault population, for which most are grateful for. Instead he was allowed to work in several different fields that need his skills. He is unofficially the Head Technician and under his direction made three improvements that allowed duct work to be done easier, made air filters more efficient as well as spotted a few glitches in the sprinkler system and fixed them so that they would actually work. Thank goodness no fires have happened in the second and third floor, who knows how many would have died. Abaddon also, is capable of becoming a doctor and has helped with a few cases of appendicitis and several cases that required reattachment as well as a few other unique situations. He is a capable repairman and has fixed numerous environmental functions in the vault, increased agriculture production, and as a chef and psychologist has increased the morale of the vault population in district 1. Suicides which have been increasing lately have suddenly dropped to zero. Abaddon has shown an interest in music. However, since the last "true" Musician in the vault died shortly after the vault was shut, he has been left with no one to teach him how to use the music equipment. Surprisingly Abaddon has nevertheless gained great skill in playing the harmonica, guitar, drums, bass, singing and the piano and has been holding a few talent nights in the dining room; this helps morale, and usually gives the junior members of the vault occupied.

Delinquency Report: Abaddon has had a few run in's with the local "Gang" The tunnel snakes. Usually this turns into fights that end with the members of the tunnel snakes going to the doctor's office for bruises, a rare broken bone and concussions. No grievances were ever charged. He has been suspected of rumors however, nothing can be linked. Other than the instance with the dangerous game of "Chicken fingers" nothing has been reported on Abaddon.

Signed by: James Mal

*****END TRANSMISSION*****

_Since the beginning, from the time bacteria lived in heated vents on a frozen planet, our species has struggled to survive, from fighting off predators and diseases, to adapting to walking on land. This lead to opposable thumbs, and the ability to walk upright, and as survival instinct demanded, we evolved until we could eventually use tools in every way shape and form. To build, farm, and even to kill, combined with the will to survive, our ancestors pulled themselves from the muck of the primitive world, and slowly crawled into a world which worshiped technology as a God._

_As our technology took a bigger role in our lives, making leaps and bounds in various fields and strengthening our nations, nobody wanted to see the festering wounds, the corruption growing in the governments, the growing hostilities of even the smallest nations, or even the most important that the world could not take on the demands of the world. The resources were drying up quickly and anyone who disillusioned to the false world view of never ending prosperity was hushed up, by either bribes, jail time, or sometimes, they just disappeared. _

_Eventually, no government could hide the secret anymore, and suddenly the truth that the world would run out of resources of all types, spilled into the civilian population. And then there was chaos and an arms race began. During the confusion a company called Vault-tec arose and gave the upper class hope. Vaults with all the modern day conveniences and the comforts of home were being constructed. Thousands funneled money into the small company in hopes of saving themselves and their families. Eventually when the end finally came and the nations of the world launched their nukes the rich found themselves in the protection of hundreds of vaults. However, none but a select few knew the twisted designs that most vaults contained, the horrors that would be faced. The few vaults that survived emerged from their sheltered homes to a land full of dangers ranging from radiation to raiders to Super mutants. In vault 101 when the inhabitants first closed the doors they remained shut. It is here you are born and it is here you will die…or so we are told. _

This is the story of my life and like most stories it begins with a prelude. My first memory is of blinding lights, someone screaming and the last desperate gasp of someone fighting for their life. I was a killer the moment I came into this world, with my mother being my first victim. I never blamed myself for her death nor did I feel the hot brand of resentment from my father. In fact my father was a very sensible man. He understood that nothing could have been done with the 200 year old equipment that had been primarily used in a science lab in a rusted out boat. However, although my father was a rational and logical man, his heart was never the same after my mother, Katherine died and after a short time he left his team and his project to find somewhere safe to raise the last link to his wife.

Eventually my father reached Megaton, a small bastion of humanity that wasn't run by raiders, slavers or super mutants. From there he learned of an unopened vault tucked away in a hill side. Never opened and completely untouched from the wasteland of today. He was warned however, that nobody had found a way to get inside nor had there been any signs of the inhabitants ever leaving. Somehow my father was able to contact and convince the overseer, one Alphonse Almodovar, to let my father and I in on the merits of being a doctor, which was sorely needed since the last doctor recently passed away unexpectedly without passing on his knowledge to a successor.

A short notice before we continue with this story, do not take my father's lack of resolve for weakness, my father was raised as a product of rape, sold as a slave to the Pitt, and when he showed a knack for doctoring was given books, and hands on practice on slaves, and raiders alike. Eventually he escaped and made it back to the wasteland where he saved Katherine from a group of slavers with only a straight razor. Which under normal circumstances would be impossible, however our family has always done the impossible and in fact it brings me to an important part of not only mine and my father's story but the overall story of my ancestors.

My father…had something in him. Something deadly and fierce if not a little deranged and he could feel it taking control of his limbs whenever he was in danger and could not protect himself. We simply call it Beast, and it has not made any objections to the name. In fact it rather likes the moniker. From what we gather it passes down from father to son, while controllable it is rather dangerous when we allow it to take control of our bodies. However, the benefits of having Beast in us were quicker reflexes, stronger bodies and strong minds in fact it's what helped my father survive a life of beatings, radiation, and the Pitt. All it asked of us is some form of entertainment, which usually results in surprisingly music. It's excuse…

Hold on a second I can explain it. You see since the dawn of time you pathetic mortals.

Shut up and get on with it. If you're not going to be serious then I'm going to tell it.

Fine, geez don't have to be so sensitive. I like music. It calms me down. There happy?

Like you wouldn't believe, seriously I'm ecstatic.

Oh shut up and start the story.

Very well, as I've said before my father gained us access to vault 101 and that is where we lived and I grew up. My childhood was very interesting to say the least. With the help of Beast and my father I developed skills faster than normal for any child. I learned how to read medical textbooks when I was four. I learned how to play instruments from the memories of my ancestors that Beast shared with me. I was taught how to talk to a woman like a lover, how to dance, and how to say something and when to say it to either damage a reputation or build a friendship. I also learned practical skills as well, such as how to build a car from the ground up, fix a pip-boy, and hack into a computer.

These types of skills I practiced on my fellow vault members. I remember watching in amusement as they acted how I wanted them to act and do the things I wanted them to do. Understand that none of it was malicious, after all it would not do to have unneeded attention on me. It would interrupt my other studies. My father taught me how to act in public and although Beast would help, it knew that its specialty lied in the shadows and on the battlefield. My father was too busy to teach me the needed skills necessary for our plan. So with Beast's tutelage I developed my knowledge in more…unsavory practices.

Damn straight you did. One of my best students, I remember the first time you put the skills to the test. It was…delightful.

It was practical and needed to be done.

Yes, of course it was. Still doesn't mean I can't enjoy it.

As is your nature to enjoy it.

With practice on a makeshift dummy and Beast's instruction I learned how to disable a man with my hands, kill him and then bring him back to life. I learned where to place a knife to incapacitate, kill or inflict pain. I could list various torture methods in alphabetical order forwards and back. I knew how to apply pressure on a garrote. I also learned various skills and methods to blend in. With the BB gun I got from my dad on my tenth birthday I was taught how to shoot targets from various distances, judge and calculate various factors. Hand to hand skills I practiced with my dad, which kept us both sharp and limber. Those were good times. Eventually though, we all learn that good times can only last for so long...You can wake up now.

"WAKE UP!" A resounding smack echoed in the enclosed room. I reacted on instinct, I quickly pushed my attacker off and with a speed that no one had seen me move with pushed them up against the wall and held a thin, needle like shiv to their eye. Only when I saw who it was in my darken room did I release my grip and put the shiv down. She didn't even know how close she was to death.

"Amata, you could have been killed." We both take a sigh of relief, her for making it to my room, and me for her not realizing that I was a second from shoving a sharp piece of metal through her eye.

"I know, still I had to risk it. The vaults going insane, your father left, there's a fire in the lower levels. The sprinkler system is keeping it contained and is putting it out. It's a miracle that only a few people have died. Still the Radroaches have gotten in and are causing problems." She went to the window and looked out for guards.

"What the fuck? No…no…it's too early we needed another year at the least." I sat back on my bed and rubbed my temples.

"You knew this was going to happen?" Amata looked shocked as was her right, unfortunately the look in her eyes showed she was about to become hysterical. I got up and grabbed her by the shoulders

"There's no time Amata. Right now there is more at stake here then the vault, you need to trust me." She took a deep breath and nodded. Slowly I let her go. She took a deep breath and broke it down for me.

"My father ordered the guards to detain everyone that was suspected of helping your father. He said something about finding out what James had been working on. They…captured Jonas…I saw them beat him to death." She hiccupped and sobbed. I pulled her into a hug knowing that if I hadn't she wouldn't be able to keep herself together and tell me what I needed to know.

"Did he tell the overseer anything?" I could barely hide my anxiety.

"No, no he didn't. God Mal, there was so much blood…and the way his skull just caved in." Amata finally broke down and wept openly and I pushed the fury in my chest down, anger had no use here.

I sat her down on my bed before getting my jumpsuit, my boots and my trench coat on. Quickly I stored the bobby pins and the extra jumpsuits inside my pip-boy the sudden flash of light saved my life as I saw the reflection of a security guard's nightstick in the window. I immediately step back and feel the security guard's elbow hit my shoulder quickly I grabbed his joint and using his momentum flipped him over my back. I could tell by the sound of him landing that I had broken his arm and knocked him out.

Sloppy work Abaddon. I taught you better.

_Shut up._

I turned around quickly and saw another security guard had Amata in a hostage position with his left hand over her mouth and the right hand holding a 10mm pistol pointed at my chest.

"Don't move Mal. The overseer said that he needs to see you and I wouldn't want to hurt Amata if you decided to try and take me out." He had a victorious smirk on his face.

"You haven't won yet." Without thinking I palmed the shiv I had almost used on Amata and before he could react sent it flying into his eye. He fell down without a word and slouched against my bed, blood immediately staining the sheets a dark red. I don't feel sick as I turn his head and pull the blade out of his eye.

_I might need this later._

I hear a gunshot and immediately turn and see Amata pointing a gun at the guard that I had knocked out. A gun drops out of his hand as he lets out a gasp and I see Amata lean against the wall.

"Amata hand me the gun." I keep my eyes on her as I slowly take the smoking 10mm pistol from her. I absentmindedly put it in a holster that I had hidden away in my coat. Slowly I grabbed her shoulders and force her to look at me.

"It was him or me. You had a decision to make and you made it. Life's full of tough decisions Amata. Sometimes that includes who lives and who dies. If you ever had a hope of becoming overseer, now you know what kind of power your father has and what type of burden he carries. Don't blame him and don't blame me and my father. There is no black or white. Only grey." I saw that my words had helped her to keep her composure and I quickly look to gather everything that was left.

"Mal.." She sounded like she was about to faint. I turned and barely caught her as she collapsed on me.

Carefully I placed her on my bed and made sure that all the makeshift knives I had hidden would not accidently hurt her. I looked down at the two bodies and with a quick flash stored the excess mass on my pip-boy leaving the dead guards in their boxers and t-shirts, I can look over their gear later. I do not recognize them. Although the vault population is dwindling there were still enough people in the vault where you would not know everyone. There were five districts that contained around 200 or so each.

I grabbed each one under their arms and dragged them out of my room. Before I knew it I was sweating. Each guard weighed a hundred and ninety pounds. Along with the added mass of the stored equipment I had in my pip-boy it was a work out. After the last body was out of the room I checked on Amata. After a quick look over I could see all she needed was time to heal. I looked around the room for the last time before I flicked the light switch off. The red light from the emergency lights bathed the room in a vibrant pink. I rigged the door to only open from the inside before I closed the door to the small apartment. I walked down the hallway with a bat in my hand doing as I had been trained. I heard before I saw the guard running down the hall and watched as he stopped just three feet in front of me.

"STOP IN THE NAME OF THE OVERSEER!" His remark made me sneer.

Before I could make any remark a faint creaking sound came from the ceiling followed by a deafening crash as the air duct burst opened. Ten Radroaches fell down and attached them to the guards' body quickly biting down, the guard had no time to protect himself as one of the larger Radroaches clamped down on his jugular and tore out a chunk of flesh. He died in a few seconds taking only one of the bastards with him. I took the opportunity to use my baseball bat to smash the rest. This time I only took the guards pistol, baton, and whatever ammo he had on him.

Poor bastard didn't even have a chance. At least he had a quick death.

_We should all be so lucky._

I harvested what I could from the dead Radroaches, after all where I'm going there won't be a food processor handy. Their rancid meat only weighing a few pounds barely slowed me down as I jogged along the corridors.  
>"HEY MAN STOP YOU GOTTA HELP ME!" I feel a hand grab my shoulder, I feel Beast take control, I grabbed his hand, turn and slam him face first into the wall. My other hand reaches for the shiv and I press it against the base of his neck.<p>

"HEY MAN, I DON'T WANT TROUBLE I NEED YOUR HELP!"

"Butch? I thought you were a guard."

"Well I ain't. Let me go!"

I pull the blade away from his neck and place it in the folds of my coat. I watch as one hand holds his forehead while his other massages his wrist.

"I need your help my mom is stuck in the room with Radroaches." Butch looked almost on the verge of crying. I guess it is my fault he's afraid of them, I did lock him in a supply closet with a small cluster of Radroach eggs when he was younger.

I don't even wait for him to finish his sentence I press the key pad and walk into the domicile that he and his mother shared. I open his mother's room and quickly set to work dispatching the Radroaches. My bat is more than enough to break through their shells. I looked over at Butches mother and see her crying, she has numerous small wounds but nothing serious. I walk to the dresser and pour some vodka into a small shot glass. I hand it to her only for her to shake her head and pass it back.

"You can have it. I think this is God's way of telling me it's time to give up the sauce." I don't say anything as she slowly got up and opened the door only to get pulled into a hug by Butch.

She hugs him back which catches both Butch and I off guard. This had to be the first type of affection Butch had ever received from his mother. He cried. I silently push past them and make sure the door is locked for their safety before I continue my jog to the overseer's office. It was the only other way to get out.

I take the long way around the vault to avoid running into a mass of guards. I traveled quickly, passing through three other districts, taking time to stop by my father's doctor's office, to pick up doctor bags, med-x whatever of value I can find. I opened the safe behind the small portrait and take everything in there; I have no time to look. I don't look back as I close the door and continue on my way.

I salvage and helped whoever I could, three more guards die. It seems like a blur. My shiv breaks on the spine of the third guard. I use my hands so that I don't waste anymore of my precious weapons. I don't want to use pistols; I can't shoot a thing with them. The bb gun may as well be a club. The bb pellets won't do the damage I need. I kill two more. I do it quick and silently with my hands turning their heads with brute force and speed. I dislike the noise their necks make. I take what I can from their bodies. I open the door and see a guard before he sees me. I'm already disarming him, before he can get a word out. I have my hands in the perfect place around his head and neck

"WAIT!" And to my surprise I do. In my blood haze I had failed to I.D Gomez. I take my hands off his neck.

"Sorry Gomez. I…didn't recognize you." I look down at my hands. I see specks of blood lightly cover them. He doesn't notice.

"That's alright son. I understand. The overseer's been raising hell and everything in it. He keeps going on about bringing you in and making you pay. Look I don't understand why he's doing everything he's done, heck, I don't know what you and your father are up to and I don't want to know. Just get out of here and I'll pretend I didn't see you." We shake hands. No words are exchange just a quick nod.

He turns and walks away, and I continue my lonely trek through the halls. By now the fire is put out, the air filters work their best to clean the air. They work, and the barely noticeable dark tint in the air goes away. I saved a lot of lives with my modifications. I'm closing in on the overseer's office when I hear it. The sound of a familiar voice in pain and for some reason it pierces my soul and I can't stop myself from sprinting into the room. I ignore the shock faces and barely notice the 10mm go off twice. One bullet reaches its destination and rests in the head of Officer's Mack's the other hits the Overseer in the knee. He screams as he hits the floor clutching the wound. I see Amata crying tied to a chair. On the left side of her face blood pours out of a jagged wound, and I can see her teeth stained with blood, she spits out a mixture of blood and saliva.

"I...I didn't tell them anything." Tears run down her face and my heart beats painfully in my chest.

"I know…I know." I grabbed the small knife Officer Mack used on her face and cut the rope holding her hands. Her arms fall limply by her side and I quickly pull her back so she slumps against her chair instead of falling off. I kneel before her and check her wound. It was deep but would heal properly if a trained physician looked after it. I search my pip-boy and materialize a med-x. I lightly take her wrist and inject it into her vein.

"You little shit! I knew from day one that you would be trouble. I knew I would regret my mistake. You're nothing but trash!" The Overseer's veins stand up against his skin. A small pool of blood surrounds his leg, and blood slowly seeps out between his hands. He would survive, barely. I don't say anything as I grab his arm and pull him to the bed inside the cell. On the way I lift a pair of hand cuffs off of the cooling body of Officer Mack and cuff him to the leg of the bed.

"You ungrateful punk, I should have left you two to fend for yourself. But, no I was weak. My wife needed a doctor and all she gave birth to was a useless girl!" He snarled. I put all my strength into my right arm as it comes down and slap him across the face.

"Your daughter was the best thing that came out of you. You should be grateful." I take off the overseer's belt and wrap it around his leg in a tourniquet.

I left him in there screaming but not before I took the password from his pip-boy. I opened the lockers in the security room, for that is indeed where I noticed finally where we were at, and took spare ammo, clips, weapons, water bottles and some of the better armors. Amata stayed silent as she watched me. The med-x had temporarily dulled her pain. No guards were coming so I felt no need to rush. I walked over took out my doctor bag from my pip-boy and silently worked cleaning her face of dried blood with rubbing alcohol, she winces slightly. I grabbed a needle and thread and stich her up. The final stich ended with a final snip of the scissors and then carefully injected her with a stimpack. I handed her a mirror.

"There'll be a scar; stimpacks can only do so much. I'm sorry." I truthfully felt bad. She didn't deserve this. Not for my crimes and not for my father.

"It's not bad…" Her voice was hoarse and her eyes were blood shot.

"Can you walk?" I lightly grab her hand and pull her up when she nods in response.

I make her lean against me as we walk toward the Overseer's apartment. As I press the open button on the key pad I hear a gunshot and feel a small bit of wind barely touch the back of my head. I had no time for finesse as I pushed her into the apartment, closed the door behind us and used whatever remained in the 10mm on the key pad putting the door in lock down mode. The only way they could get to us now would be through the vents, or had a blow torch to melt the bullet proof glass. I would know I installed them.

"Amata get into your room and pack everything you have." I quickly pull her up from the floor.

"I'm coming with you?" She looked startled and frightened. Obviously she had not even thought about leaving the vault seriously. But there was no other option left besides dying.

"It wasn't in the original plan, but I can't let you stay here. Your father is on the verge of a nervous breakdown and who knows what he will do when he finds you. That scar will be the least of your worries and that's if it won't get infected. I'm the only one left who can properly treat you Amata. I won't have you die just because you won't go with me. Pack whatever extra clothes you can carry and the water to. Take your bobby pins, trust me we will need them." She only hesitates for a few seconds before she nods and runs into her room. She didn't notice that the overseer had brought Jonas body from the lab and left it on the ground in the living room.

I quickly drag him around the corner and hide his body behind a pillar. I search him once over to see if he had anything important. A holodisk from dad was all he had. He had deserved better than this, he was a friend and one of the few people who believed in the Bible and God down in the vault. A dozen memories flash through my eyes and I decide my course of action. I pull the small black leather book from the confines of my trench coat and run my fingers over its familiar face before opening it. No one knew why I always had it on me, I was an Agnostic, and I held very little if no love for the God of Christianity. I opened the book and inside a crevice was cut into the pages and in it laid one of the few things that my father had given me and brought into the vault. A black handle, nicked, but smooth rested in its nest. I grabbed the familiar handle and immediately feel Beast flick it open revealing a shining and perfect, gleaming straight razor.

My love how long it has been.

I gazed at it like the first time my father handed it to me…

Flash Back

"Now son what I am about to give you is something that has been with me since The Pitt. It's had a long, sad history but used for our purpose, maybe it can redeem itself." James pulled a box from under his bed before opening the lid. I could not contain a gasp as I saw it.

"This straight razor here…"He flicked it open in a casual sort of way before he flipped it closed.

"Has served me well and now it is time for you to learn how to use it. Its name is…"

Flash Back End

"Dark Blade." I whispered as I placed the book on Jonas chest and put his arms crossed over it.

"Mal I got everything. What are you doing?" Amata leaned around the corner but I was faster. I stored Dark Blade in my pocket and pushed her back gently.

"Nothing just checking if we had everything, come I need to get everything out of your father's computer." I rushed into her father's office and slide over the top of his desk and log into his computer files.

"Why do we need to do that?"

"Contrary to popular belief, the vault has been opened twice, once for an expeditionary mission and a second time for me and my dad." I hear her gasp and I swear I can hear the cogs in her head begin to turn.

"So everything was a lie? Why hasn't anyone told us? And why have we stayed here all this time instead of going out into the world?" I took a second to think about what I was going to say.

"Your father was right to keep this a secret and have everyone tell their kids that the door was never and never could be opened."

"WHAT? HOW COULD YOU AGREE WIT H HIM? LOOK WHAT HE DID TO ME?" She immediately covered her left side. Out of pain or grief I couldn't tell but I didn't turn away from my work.

"Don't do that, you'll tear your stitches. Tell me do you know how many vaults were made? Do you know how many of them were jury rigged with crazy experiments and how many people died? Do you know how many vaults are still operating? I do. Exactly 8 vaults, do you know how many there originally were, 122, each containing a thousand people, a thousand times a 122 and that comes out to 122,000, barely a single percent of the population at the time although still enough to repopulate America and the world. Out of all those people and all those vaults only a few vaults were able to make it safely through time and radiation, which brings us to about 17 vaults free of twisted experiments and one vault that survived with its social experiment, luckily Vault 101 only had to deal with the experimental question "What would happen if the inhabitants were told the door would never reopen?" You and the rest of this vault were lucky Amata. Like I said before only 8 of the 18 vaults are still running, the other ten vaults either killed its inhabitants from cave in's or whatever else, or the inhabitants were driven into the wasteland, who knows if they survived or not. After all the wasteland didn't exactly kill off the rest of the tattered shreds of humans, although humanity as the ideal is rarely seen due to short life expectances and what not, if it's not the raiders, slavers or dangers that kill you, then watch out for the death claw behind you. My point is that if this vault was opened anything could get in. The worst thing isn't getting stuck in a hole for the rest of your life Amata. Your father misguided as he is saved the inhabitants from many a painful death." As I said the last word I punched in the last key. All the files were immediately transferred into my pip-boy. I pressed the entrance button and turned around just to see Amatas shocked face as the U shaped desk lift up revealing a staircase.

"Now we need to go." I got up from the chair I was sitting on and walked down the stairs I stopped midway noticing Amata was not following me.

"If what you say is true, then why are you heading out there? Why are we leaving and risking our lives to get into this wasteland as you affectionately call it." She scowled the movement obviously caused her pain as she quickly moved her face into a more neutral position.

"Because I believe that the human race can be salvaged. That we can become better, better than the old world and better than this new one. I believe that it doesn't have to be like this. Things need to change Amata." I looked into her eyes.

"And who will bring these changes, you? Your father? God?" She was still skeptical as she should be. I'm asking a lot but I still can't help chuckle as she said God.

"You know that I never cared much for God Amata. I don't see him too much these days you know. But, if I have to make these changes by myself, I will, I don't care what's on the outside of this vault. I will gather the remnants of whatever's still alive there and forge them into what I need them to be. What our species needs them to be." And as I said it I believed it and she believed it to. I held out my hand.

"Don't fail Mal." She lightly placed her hand in mine.

"You know I won't." I lightly guided her down the stairs and pressed the button on the wall. The desk lowered and covered the staircase.

I opened the maintenance door and stomp down hard on a Radroach. I had forgotten my bat outside the door of the security office. I had only just noticed that but I didn't care I had Dark Blade and as I pulled it out the bright blade gleamed a low red glow due to emergency lights still being on. In that moment I never realized how incomplete my arm felt. The satisfied sensation that my body felt was almost addicting and its power gave me the strength I never knew I had. For the third time that day I let instinct guide me. My right arm blurred as I killed dozens of Radroaches jumping at us cutting them in half, my left hand still held Amata's and after two minutes we reached the final door to the vault's entrance. I opened it quickly and pulled her in before tightly shutting the door behind us. I put Dark Blade back into my pocket and walked to where the control box was Amata closely followed me.

"Are you ready for this?" She nodded and lightly grabbed my hand.

I pull the lever and she covers her ears as the alarm goes off. I watched as the two hundred year old arm latches itself into the gear before pulling it back causing an ear screeching noise that only metal on metal can create, then disconnecting allowing it to roll to the right revealing dust and a dimly lit tunnel.

"HURRY UP WE NEED TO GET INTO THE ENTRANCE BAY! WE CAN'T LET THEM ESCAPE!"

"Guards, Amata we have to go!"

I knew they weren't going to use batons, I knew they weren't going to say stop. I knew there was going to be no warning before they pulled out their 10mm pistols and killed us. I picked her up before she could respond and carried her the remaining twenty feet out of the vault. I could hear shots being fired even as I let her down and pulled the lever on the outside Control console. As if sensing my urgency the arm quickly pulled and pushed the vault gear back into place, shutting it once again from the harshness of the world.

"Well…That was heavy" Before I could say anything else I felt a hand smack my face right into the stone wall.

"What the hell!" I held my face and willed the pain to go down.

HAHAHAHA. Oh Mal, she got you good didn't she. I told you she was a feisty one.

_Shut up!_

"That's what you get!"

"For what? I just ran through the entire vault, saved and protected you. For a reward I'm slapped and into a wall no less." The pain dies down and I wipe my bloody nose.

"I slapped you because you said I was heavy." She crossed her arms and huffed in annoyance.

Women, they only hear what they want to hear.

_Oh genius did you figure that out just right now. At this very moment in time? _

You know she's…

_Feisty I know._

I was going to say hot but feisty to.

_Now is not the time._

"Listen we almost got killed, I'm wearing about three hundred pounds of gear, we are going into a hellish wasteland, we are surrounded by bones at the moment and the situation we are in is heavy. I wasn't even talking about you." I stomped on a rib to get my point across.

"Oh…well then this was just warning in case you call me heavy." I sigh, women.

"Okay, well before we go any further we need to get you into better clothing. This vault suit is going to get you killed." I quickly search through my pip-boy for the best pieces of security armor from the vault.

"Get me killed? What about you?" She questioned and pointed at me.

"Well the thing is I know enough not to get my head blown off, shot, and/or stabbed. Besides my trench coat has a thin layer of metal between the inner and outer layers. It'll protect me well enough. Ah, here." I materialize a security helmet with a tinted visor which blocked out anyone from seeing her face completely along with a baggy vault security suit and bullet proof vest.

"What trying to cover me up Mal. Jealous of other guys making moves on me? I don't think you have to worry with this scar on my face." I smile a bit at her little joke. She's slowly recovering mentally. But my smile turns into a frown quickly. She notices.

"What?" She grabs the stuff from my hands.

"You're right I am trying to cover you up. But, not because of what you think. Out there…well let's just say there are no rules Amata. You take what you want if you're strong enough."

I don't have to spell out my message. She understands. She dons on the security armor in a bright flash. The bagginess of the clothes hides her femininity and provides her a shield as long as she doesn't talk. I pull on a pair of sunglasses and a cowboy hat I scavenged from the chaos of the vault. I put on black gloves and squeeze my hands making sure they fit nicely.

"It's night out there, we will start in the morning. Why don't you look over your armor get used to it. When we are out there we can't be fumbling with where we put our ammo or grenades." She laughs I don't. She goes about discovering the functions and ways she can move in her gear.

"I'll see what we have and divide up the load on what we need and what's fair. I'll only give you what you can handle."

She nods. A bright flash lights up the room and the acquired weight we had both gained lifted off our bodies as the mass went back into their original forms. Immediately I divide up the food and water. I give her more than half. If we ever got separated she would need it more than me. I keep most of the apparel with me giving her a few pieces in case she needed to fix her own armor. For the miscellaneous items I held onto them to, if we ever ran into a merchant caravan or a settlement, she wouldn't know how to bargain or know if she was being robbed until later. I gave her pile a 20 stimpacks for quick emergencies; I kept the addictive substances with me along with the doctor bags and only 3 stimpacks. Lastly the weapons and ammo, I give her three of the 10mm pistols that are in the best shape and keep the fourth one I picked up on me. I gave her most of the 10mm bullets only leaving myself with 3 full clips to her 50. I keep my bb gun and pellets. They wouldn't do anything to someone with eye protection but for someone who didn't have any eye protection; it would go straight through their eye ball and rattle around inside their skulls. I gave her a proper combat knife in case someone wanted to get up close and personal and kept the rest of my homemade shiv's and Dark Blade on me.

"Is that all we have?" Amata leaned over my shoulder.

"Yeah, it's not much but it's something. Have you adjusted yourself to your armor?" I quickly store my pile into my pip-boy.

"I guess so. As much as I can at the moment, can I have another dose of med-x? The pain is starting to come back." She took off her helmet and sat with her back against the wall. I activate the light on my pip-boy as I kneel next to her and inspect the wound.

"I told you not to shout, you're lucky you didn't tear your stitches open. While I get everything ready why don't you store your pile into your pip-boy? Leave out a pistol and about 3 clips." I brought out my doctors bag and started to disinfect the needle and thread.

"Why?" She wasn't doing it on purpose but I could feel her warm breath against the side of my neck. I move a little bit away discreetly disguising it as moving into a better position.

"You need to practice conserving ammo and remaining armed at all times. What you got on you right now is all we have. I don't know if that guard in my room was an accident or not. But, the next time I want you to shoot, I want you to fire like you were been born with a .44 in your hand." She giggled a little despite the pain.

"Who's to say I wasn't?" We both laughed a little. It was silent after that except for the occasional hiss of pain as I fixed my patch job. As I injected her with another dose of med-x her eyes lazily began to close.

"Hey Mal?" I turned to my doctor's bag.

"What's up?" I gently put in the glass of rubbing alcohol, empty syringes, needle and thread.

"Will it be easier the next time I…kill someone." I clicked the bag closed before I turn to her with a sigh.

"It's a hell of a thing killing a man. You take away everything he has, and everything he will ever have. For some people it's easy, and for others it's hard. But, always remember that there is no black and white, line in the sand or a clear definite definition of right or wrong. In the end it's just you and that person on the other end of a barrel. No one else can decide what you do. But, if you want me to answer your original question then yes. It gets easier. Just don't let it eat at you. Innocents die, and so do bad guys. It's our duty to help people, but we have to decide carefully how to help them and who to help." I can hear her breathing steadily getting slower and her eyes are fully closed.

"Thanks Mal. I'm gonna…fall." I gently put a hand on her shoulder and lay her on her back. Her clothes should keep her warm.

Time to get to work Abaddon.

I groan slightly, my body was strong but today the only thing keeping me running was paranoia. I didn't want to be killed by some raider shit or punk. I didn't want anything to happen to Amata. I grabbed some surgical tubing and started booby trapping the entrance to the tunnel. If anyone wanted to kill us, they would lose something in return. I set the trap so that if someone were to push the wooden door open the surgical tube would launch three shivs into the unwary intruder's chest. I add a few more traps before finally allowing myself to sit down and relax. My muscles ache to the bone and I let out a pained hiss as I massage my legs.

You did well today pup. But, when you go out through that door, you can't be sloppy. The last thing I need is to spend eternity in pitch darkness because you couldn't do something properly.

I lean my head back and feel the cold stone against my scalp.

_I know. I'll be more careful. There will be no mistakes. Nothing will distract me._

What about the girl? She's a distraction. A distraction you can't seem to ignore…

Something feral in my chest bares its fangs and I can feel rage. A low audible growl reverberates in my throat only stops when I see Amata's eyes flutter.

_Amata will not be harmed. I'll put her somewhere safe and protected. Megaton would be perfect. She will be out of the way. But, you know the pain I can cause _Beast. _Do not make the mistake of fucking around with me. _

I can hear him growling but not in anger which surprises me but in pride.

Good kid. Protect what's yours. That's what your father and I have taught you. She will insist that she come along you know. You might as well take her. She isn't one to be cooped up. Ha. You're growing into a man. Taking on the vault, and saving a helpless damsel in distress.

_The way you're describing it, makes it sound as if I should be a comic book hero. Which you and I both know is the farthest from the truth. After all what kind of comic book hero would I be since I killed a few people already?_

I don't know spider man?

_I'm not a whiney bitch who complains about what to do with my powers, what's happening with a girl, and the moral issues of today. I know what I have to do with the skills I've been taught, I know how to get a woman and keep her, and I know how to deal with the moral issues of today, with one bullet at a time._

Ha ha ha! Good points. All true. But joking aside, I think you have what it takes to be a real hero not this comic book crap or fairy tales.

_I have to hear this. What makes you think that I can be a hero?_

I think the better question is "What is a hero?" A hero is someone who does what needs to be done. The action may be horrendous, but the positive outcome that happens years later makes the evils of today worth it. Not many people can carry this burden, not many people want to even try. And that's where you come in. You can make the hard choices Abaddon Mal. The choice to kill or to save, build or destroy, to save the city or save the few, think about these carefully Mal. The world is a crazy place. A lot of things can happen. If you don't make these choices will you let others make them for you?

_No. The choices are mine and I will decide on what I see fit. You're right; a hero is someone that has to make the hard decisions. I can be a hero not because I want to be but because it seems no one else is willing. I'm not perfect _Beast_. I'm not the greatest man, nor the brightest, but I can fight, I can win, I can bring about a whole new set of change._

Ha! I just hope the wasteland is ready for the storm that's coming. Good or bad I believe that it will be marvelous to watch this adventure unfold, and damn if it isn't going to be an epic story told for generations and hopefully to the end of time, the story of Malicious Mal,

_Malicious Mal…I kind of like the name, rolls off the tongue, and a very apt description when I am pushed to be…less than agreeable with. _

I can feel the winds of change my friend. Now if you would, please some music.

I look at my pip-boy and search through the inventory section finally selecting the headphones which causes a small flash of light as it appears in my hands and plug it into the pip-boy uplink. I had made them out of spare parts for the intercoms. With a little tweaking and modification it became the perfect tool to listen to the recordings Amata and I made with a few other friends of ours. I had a vast collection of different songs that we created and I picked a playlist the most suitable for sleep and pressed play. Beast and I stayed silent as the music started up and it stayed that way for a long time as I continued my vigil over the door with my hand on the grip of the 10mm holstered in my coat, waiting for the sun to rise. I looked down at my pip-boy and see that it's 2:15. It's going to be a long night.

Well that's the beginning of this story. I'm hoping you, the readers, enjoyed this chapter. I look forward to writing the next. I'm hoping to get it out by next week. Well reviews are appreciated. Have a good one.

In fallout 3 where can you find the knife "Ant's sting"?


	2. This is the life I've been given

This is the life I've been given

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything. **

**I've always had a hard time getting a story off the ground. But, this time I'm actually really motivated. Let's get this show on the road.**

"Talking"

_Thoughts_

**Beast**

*****BEGINNING TRANSMISSION*****

Name: Dan

Weapons: Knife

Apparel: Wasteland Doctor Apparel

Strength: 4

Intelligence: 8

Perception: 10

Agility: 7

Luck: 7

Endurance: 5

Charisma: 10

Perks: Little Leaguer, Thief, Child at Heart, Scoundrel, Lead Belly, Rad Resistance, Mister Sandman, Cannibal, Silent running, Light Step, Chem Resistant.

Characteristics:

Gender: Male

Race: Caucasian

Height: 5' 11"

Age: 32

Blood type: A

Physical Description: Dan is not a big man. Despite his size he is lanky and weighs only 145 pounds. Like most wastelanders Dan is emaciated and has very little if no fat on him due to the extremely sparse environment that makes up the post-war world. He is shaved bald and has the tan that most wastelanders are known for. Most of his life is a mystery; the only thing that distinguishes him from others is his unusual ability to fit into the crowd and his height.

Position: N/A

Threat Level: ?

*****End Transmission*****

_Not many live as long as I have. I'm 32 and in the wasteland, living past 20 was an accomplishment all in itself. After all, there isn't a shortage of things to die from out here. RadRoaches, Radscorpions, Death Claws, Yaoi Gui, Mole Rats, Raiders, Slavers, Radiation and that's the things that intentionally kill you. I've seen a lot of people die from staph infections, starvation, dehydration, now that's a big one, falling, landmines, traps, crotch rot, and everything in between. You name it we got it. I only lived this long because I follow a set of rules. _

_Number one, don't bother with a mass of people, I may be good at luring people in but, I know I couldn't kill a group of three. Secondly, keep a watch for dead bodies. Third, fuck the young girls less chance of catching something. Rule number four; disinfect any wounds sustained as quickly as possible and any way possible. There are a few more but I'm too lazy. But, the point is I survive when most die, I have mastered the wastes. I! _

"Yo, man is you done looking or what? I'm getting edgy here man hurry the fuck up!" A voice pulls me out of my thoughts and I finally remember what I'm doing.

I look back at the dirty trader, wearing a jacket that didn't suit the burning heat of the wastes, but I could see that it was a good choice so that he could carry more stuff. This guy must have been a good trader, he even had a pack Brahmin with him loaded with cargo. Most of it shit from the looks of it but still enough to get a few hundred caps. Still, even though he was a good trader he forgot the biggest rule traders have. Don't get high on your own supply. I could see it in his eyes, the twitch, and the shakes in his hands. I would guess he was on psycho along with some jet. But, what do I know? I'm not a doctor; I just wear the clothes to get close enough to slice someone's throat. I love that deadly arc of crimson, even though I'm not a doctor I know enough to stay away from blood.

"Dude that's enough get the fuck out of here if you're not going to buy nothing." He grips my arm and I find that I can't control myself. I turn swiftly and bury the rusty knife I had hidden in my sleeve into his neck.

He falls down and no matter how many times I see it I'm always fascinated as my victims gurgle. Their blood coming out in a fine spray as they try to say something or try to breathe, their hands never quite stopping the bleeding, I quickly lose interests though, he only lasts a minute before passing out, swiftly followed by dying. I take off his clothes quickly trying to save it from getting to bloody. Alas my efforts are in vain and they are stained beyond redemption. I search the pack Brahmin and find he has a spare.

"Cool." I quickly trade out my worn out doctor's apparel for the standard traders.

I pull the body over to a pile of tires that for some reason were stacked inside a barn. The structure barely stands by itself. I look down at the cooling body again; the blood had stopped squirting out of the trader's neck and now slowly dribbled out. I break out of my thoughts as I hear a gunshot. I walk outside of the barn and peak from the corner, I knew there were raiders nearby and it's probable that someone was dead. I feel something hit me and we are both sent tumbling. By the time we stop I see a pretty, tanned face marred only by a healing wound on her left cheek. Despite her heavy breathing her eyes gave off a feeling of control and not panic, something very rare in the wastes especially for a woman, a very pretty woman, hell any woman.

"I need the hunting rifle in the loft." I feel something prick the base of my neck and finally noticed she had a shiny and most importantly, sharp piece of metal held to my throat. Dangerous…

"Calm down miss, let's go, I'll gladly lend you the rifle." She nods and gets off me.

To trusting, her mistake not mine, she broke rule number five never trust anyone. She runs into the barn with me after her. She doesn't see the body until too late. She back peddles but I grab her and slam her into the wooden beam. She falls dazed but still awake, just like I like them. I don't waste time as I quickly toss away any weapons I can see on her. The bullet proof vest is easy to take off but the suit proves to be a little harder. I take out my knife and cut open her top revealing perfect lightly tanned skin and C35 size breast. I feel her try to push me off but I force her hands over her head.

"Don't fight or I will gut you like a mother fucking fish. Understand?"

"FUCK YOU!" She spits in my face.

"I've fucked worse than a corpse little girl. Don't push me." I lean forward to kiss her only to feel something hit my nose and for a second all I can feel is lightning pain radiating from my face and I taste blood.

"YOU BITCH!" I can't help myself and I lash out at her with my left hand, the blow knocks her out.

"Damn it! Whatever, some ass is better than none." I'm pulling down my pants when I feel something hit me.

I feel like I'm flying until I hit the wooden wall of the barn, I hear the aged wood crack and I touch ground. I'm rolling and hit my head on the rock. The sun is blinding as I open my eyes. A shadow looms over me and I can see the figure standing over me. The guy is short. A large jagged scar is the first thing I noticed about his face. The next thing I notice is that he had a straight razor; he pressed it against my neck. I feel pain and something warm crawls against my skin. He doesn't say anything as he pulls the razor away. I let out a breath I was barely holding. I blink and I open my eyes just in time to see a sudden left hook hit my cheek. I can barely breathe as he throws a right hook. I feel my arms try and push him off, I reach for my knife. It's not there anymore. I can't move my arms. I can't breathe now. But, I can feel it the fifth punch numbs my body I can't feel it now but I can hear it. The crunching, the blood smacking sounds, a furious roar, I can't open my eyes.

_Am I going to die? _

The last thing I hear is one final sickening crunch as I feel like I'm pulling away from something important. I realize I'm too lazy to care.

_**Five hours before **_

_I'm dreaming. That's the first thing I notice. But, I'm dreaming of the events that seem so long ago but only happened yesterday. I fought and found my way to Mal's room. I shot a guard. I passed out. I woke up to see my dad pounding at the security glass outsides Mal's room. His muffled voice barely pierces through the glass. He tells me to open the door. I wonder why he couldn't do it himself. I fight to stand up and I feel weak as I open the door. But it's not my father that meet's me but officer Macky. I feel powerless as they drag me to the security office. I feel pain as officer Macky cut's my face. I remember thinking that this has to be the worst thing I've felt in my life. I remember crying out for Abbadon. _

_My father spat in my face for embarrassing him. Something in me shatters and I feel this sense of strength I've never felt before. For the first time in my life I want to kill, need it, it is this feeling that calms me down, and quieted my weeping, and shouts of pain. They asked me more questions, they hit me but it's only when Macky takes the small knife to my face again, that I can't suppress the scream. Then I remember I blacked out. I wake up when I hear gunshots. I look up and see Mal. The rage in his eyes, the blood on his hands, Macky died quickly and I felt regret that I couldn't have shot him myself. I push down the urge though. Mal always said control was the most important thing and I believed him. I tell him I didn't tell them anything and I can barely comprehend the change that happens when he looks at me. _

_From being filled with psychotic rage to looking like a puppy that chewed on the furniture and gets yelled at by its master. He kneels down and lightly brushes my check. I feel pain but it's not so bad. My father's screams something and I watch as Abbadon drags him to the cell and locks him up. He came back and brought out a doctors bag. Immediately he begins to work. The Med-x relieves the majority of the pain but I can't help but flinch every time the needle punctures my ruined flesh. He helps me up and I limp and lean against him as we go into the overseer's apartment. He notices before I do that a gunshot went off and I feel him push me into the apartment. I stumbled and barely stopped myself from hitting a wall. He tells me to go gather everything even the bobby pins. Weird request I remember thinking. I do as he tells me and it only takes me ten minutes. I came back out of my room and saw Mal's foot around the pillar, I ask him what he's doing but he quickly pushes me away and toward the overseer's actual office. We begin to talk. _

_I remember the shock I felt when he told me the truth. The vaults door was working, we could get out, and we didn't have to live in this hole. I didn't have to die already buried. I also remember the fury that I felt when he told me it was probably for the best that my father had lied to us about it. But, that died down when he began to explain, the way the world was, the dangers, what happened to the rest of the vault dwellers, and how many probably died. In the end I agree with him. Just like always. He presses one final button on the keypad and I watch as the U shaped desk I've known for the rest of my life lift up on hydraulics, revealing a staircase. It is only then that this seems real to me. I ask him what's on my mind. I ask him why we are going out there, why we need to do this, why he even wanted to go out there. I felt like a hypocrite. I always talked about getting out of the vault of seeing the magical world above. I was a fool. But, he gives me his answer and despite my worries, my fears, and dread I can see in his eyes that nothing would stop him. He had a goal and he would never stop to attain it. I take his hand for better or worse. _

_I follow him down the staircase and through a door. I can barely contain a scream when I see a sea of Radroaches, I hate roaches. I looked at his face to see if he had any fear of the damn creatures. But, to my surprise his eyes shown with eagerness, and he had this cocky smile on his lips. He grabs my hand and pulls me forward with him. He pulls out something and I watch as his left hand moves with blinding speed. I can't see what he is using but it sends off a light whistle as it cuts through the air and any Radroaches jumping at us. We are at the door in no time, and he pushes me through it and for the first time I catch a glimpse at what has kept us down here and protected for so long. A large metal cog that had to weigh tons blocked the only in and out route into the vault. I barely cover my ears as the metal arm pulls the two century year old cog. I hear noises from the door behind us and Mal hears it as well. He picks me up and once again I am amazed at his strength as he sprints with me over his shoulder. I see the guards open the door and pull out their guns. I hear the zips and cracks as the bullets fly around us. Mal pulls the lever and the door closes once again resuming its vigil. It is only then do I realize how dark it is._

_I hear Mal talk and I slap him. I feel blood rush to my cheeks and I realize its embarrassment. He gives me some security armor and a tinted visor. I laugh slightly despite the pain and make a joke about him trying to cover me up. His face changes from exhausted to grim, he tells me about how the world works up here. I didn't need him to explain anything else. I understood and quickly don the armor. He tells me to get adjusted and try to memorize certain pockets. I quickly follow his instruction as he divides up the gear. I finish after an hour of trying to familiarize myself with the almost new security armor. He shows me what I'm supposed to carry and after explaining to me why he wanted me to store it inside my pip-boy I quickly did. I asked him for some Med-x and he looked up at me and notices the stitching is loose. He sits me down and begins working on my cheek again after giving me another dose. I start to feel drowsy but something had been bothering since I shot that guard. I ask him if killing ever gets easier. He tells me it does and I can't stop my eyes from dropping. I can barely hear him say wake up. _

I sit up with the 10mm in my hand. I'm breathing heavy. Something stings my left eye. I use the sleeve of my security uniform to wipe my forehead. Sweat. It's only then do I realize how hot it is. I look over and see Mal disarming something on the door.

"Mal why is it so damn hot? What time is it?" I barely contain a groan as I get up and holster my pistol. Rock floors are not comfortable. He chuckles slightly at my expense.

"This is the wasteland my dear. It's always hot. And it's 10 AM." He moves back from the door and a ray of sunlight hits the floor in front of me.

I cautiously edge my fingers toward it and hesitate before I let my fingertips touch the halo of sunlight. I can barely contain a grin as I pass my hand through it and do it again. He laughs again as he sees me play with this tiny beam of light.

"You look so young." He smiles as he walks back toward me.

"Coming from the guy who looks like he belongs in middle school." I can feel myself smile despite the pain it causes me.

"Oh be still my wounded ego." He grasps his chest dramatically. I can't help but laugh. He looks down and opens his pip-boy and rematerializes a can of beans.

"Beans?" I raise an eyebrow; I wasn't picky about what I ate. We lived in the vault where most of our food is processed into a bland paste most of the time. Beans were just one of the things I didn't like to eat for some reason but I would still eat it anyway.

"Breakfast of champions, also it has the calories we will be needing for today. In a few months this can of beans will look like a ten pound Brahmin steak. Beggars can't be choosers." He laughs and opens the can's pop top lid and downs about half of the can in a few gulps.

"How can you do that? And what the hell is a Brahmin?" I take the can and barely suppress a shudder as I feel the cold beans slowly crawl into my mouth.

"Do what? And a Brahmin is a two headed cow." He pulls out an open bottle of water before drinking it and handing me what was left.

"Eat really fast." I finish the can of beans and down it with the water he gave me.

"Well my father taught me that if you have food don't wait around for the vultures to grab it. The rule that we live by and I guess you will live by now is that food is food. It doesn't matter where you get it from, you eat to live another day. Eat what you can, when you can and quickly."

"I guess things will be different now." I look down at the can of beans before looking at him.

"Yeah…come on." He stands up and offers his hand. I take it and he pulls me up.

"What are we doing?" I barely get out the question before I feel myself become airborne but come down gently on my back; still I feel pain and realized that if I was thrown full force I would be dead if not, incapacitated.

"You need to learn how to fight. I won't be around to protect you all the time." I feel his arms move out from under me and he steps back.

"Well asshole you could have warned me first." I barely see his fist before it stops before my left eye.

"You think that your enemies will give you a warning? They won't and you'll be just another dumb bitch dead on the side of the road, raped, beaten and tortured." I feel shaken by his words but it's his face that made me feel weak. His face held no emotion but his eyes, held a cold fury. I feel myself look away and nothing but silence stands between us for a few moments.

"You don't have to say it like that." I flinch slightly as I feel a gloved finger trace the slight scar on my cheek and lightly pull my face to look at him.

"I need you to understand Amata that everything you learned in the vault hardly matters up here. Keep your compassion, your intelligence, and your cunning, leave the rest behind. Maybe one day you'll need it but, right now, it's useless to think about what's fair. Understand?" I nod at him slowly. He smiles that sad smile he always has.

"Let's teach you the basics." I came in close as he began talking.

And so for three hours I learned how to make a fist, some vulnerable spots, how to use the homemade knife he had given me and some ground work. I wasn't good. Not by a long shot. But, if worst comes to worst I can at least fight back and give me enough time for Mal to reach me in time. I fall back against the cave wall exhausted and covered in sweat. I frown as I see him barely breathing hard as he leans up against the wall. I open a bottle of water and take small sips from it. When it reaches half way I toss it to Mal and he catches it without hesitation.

"We need a plan." I use the sleeve of my guard uniform to wipe off the sweat and dust mixture that covered my face. He grabbed the remains of a sign and broke it over his knee and began to draw in the dust.

"Don't worry I got us covered. I scouted out the surroundings a few hours before sunrise. I was able to locate two areas of interest. To the west of us there is a bridge. It looks to be a small raider camp. I saw six of them. Half of them carry police batons and baseball bats. The other three have a chinese pistol, flame thrower and sniper rifle respectively. A little bit beyond that is a barn. I saw a trader camp down there and leave a hunting rifle. I'll give you a hundred caps so you can buy the hunting rifle. Cover me from the second floor of the barn and I'll face the raiders on the ground. From there we can take them all out and salvage what we can. Any questions?" He crossed out the bridge and sat against the wall.

"Yeah. Why the hell are we taking on these raiders? Why don't we just go around them? They seem better armed than us. Wouldn't it be safer to just avoid confrontation for now?"

"Well one, I already sabotaged the flamer, as well as the sniper rifle. I don't they'll fire without their gas nozzle and firing pin." He smiled as he materialized the two items in front of me.

"That leaves the chinese pistol." I pointed out.

"The chinese pistol packs little stopping power, they were literally given so that chinese troops could kill themselves before U.S troops could capture them. They can pack a punch but really if you have even mediocre armor it'll stop the small 9 mm rounds from punching through. I'll take care of it. I just need you to get that hunting rifle and whatever ammo you can for it and cover me from above just in case I miss a weapon." He smile then stood up before offering me a hand and pulled me up easily.

"Still why confront them?" I look at him skeptically.

"Easy, we need the practice, and…they need to die. These raiders kill, rape, steal, torture, and are no better than a pack of wild dogs. No I take it back. Dogs are better than a raider simply because what they do is to survive and on instinct. Raiders know what they are doing. They understand what they are doing. They enjoy the misery they inflict. I have no sympathy for them. Maybe one day we will meet a raider that has changed their ways, but from what I can tell the ones I'm talking about on that bridge are vicious psychopaths." I can feel the conviction in his voice and realize that the pounding in the background is my heat beat and the pressure in my chest is the wild beast that awoke yesterday. It calls on me to wipe out these mongrels.

"Let's get to it then." I can't help but feel malice creep into my voice as I pull out the 10mm from its black holster.

"That's my girl." He puts a hand on the door knob before pushing it open and for the first time in my life sunlight blinds me.

_**Abbadon POV**_

"GOD FUCKING DAMN IT!" I chuckle a bit at her reaction. My eyes had already adjusted to the blinding light and I hand her the tinted helmet she dropped. She immediately presses it over her head and punches me on the shoulder.

"Why didn't you tell me it would be like this?" Her voice is filled with annoyance but I don't mind.

"I wanted to see your reaction." She punches my shoulder again lighter this time.

"Asshole, hurry up and let's go already."

"Yes ma'am." I turn to the left and walk over to a small rock hill. Quickly I navigate over the outcrop and reach the top. I turn around and lie down on the ground and hold my hand out over the edge. I feel Amata grab my hand and pull her up safely.

The bridge isn't far. Just a hundred feet away, I couch down and work my way along the rocks, I don't need to tell Amata to follow me, and she does what I do and walks quietly behind me. In just a few short minutes we get to a small pile of rocks about twenty feet away and we both stay silent as we take a minute break. I motion for her to say down as I around cover. I can see the first raider. She's dirty and I can smell her from our position, she wears scraps of clothes that should have burned a long time ago. She's alone…for now. The only thing between us is a lot of empty ground and tall dead grass. I sit back behind cover and look over at Amata.

"One raider, she's carrying a police baton. I'll take care of her quickly. Okay?" Amata hesitates before nodding. I nod back. And look around cover.

I have to wait for the right conditions. If I run to early the sound of the grass crunching will give me away. I have to wait for the breeze to blow and for her to turn. Already I can feel sweat run down my back but I'm calm and in control. My heart rate slows down just like always.

**Get her.**

I follow beasts command and just as I step out of cover the wind blows and the female raider turns. I'm running before I even realize it. I feel her thin frame crumple as I tackle her face first to the ground and I can barely contain the roar of triumph as I stick the shiv through her right kidney. She slips into shock in a few seconds and as she dies the battle rage within me contains itself. I quickly take the few stims off her and motion for Amata to meet me behind the broken down trailer of a truck. We meet up in less than a minute breathing fast but controlled. The hours spent on the treadmill has come in handy for the two of us. I hand Amata two bloody stimpacks and keep one for myself. I signal for her to run to the barn and hold up three fingers. She nods back and I count down.

"Three…two…o." She's about to run but I quickly wrap my arm around her waist and slam her back against the trailer and slip my hand underneath her visor and clamp it down on her mouth.

"Yo Shirly! Where the fuck are you bitch? This cock won't be sucked on by itself. What the…" I flip **Dark Blade **open but I give this raider too much time and too little credit. He steps back as I swing and I only graze his skin. He's bleeding but I missed his jugular, he covers his neck before turning around and starts running.

"YOU FUCKING LITTLE SHIT! GUYS GET OVER HERE! KILL THIS BASTARD!"

"Run!" I push Amata toward the barn. I don't watch her leave; I have more pressing matters to deal with.

I rush around the corner and already see the wounded raider running up the broken down bridge. I quickly pull up my last and only shiv and focus. I had one shot but, I never miss. I pull my arm back and throw the blade. For a second time slows down as I watch the deadly piece of metal tumble over itself before it sinks into the back of the neck with an audible crunch. The raider falls dead just as the last four of his buddies reach the crest of the bridge.

"KILL HIM!" As one the raiders roar down the bridge. I quickly run back to a pile of sandbags and jump over as the crack of a chinese pistol sounds off. The bullet hits the top of the bag and cuts open the century old cloth. I laugh slightly as the sand slowly trickles down onto my head. I pull out the 10mm and quickly blind fire over cover. I hear them scramble for cover and one fall to the ground.

"He killed Bill!"

"I ain't dead yet." A pained voice yelled.

I peeked over cover and fired again this time nailing Bill in the head.

"Now he's dead!" I laugh loudly as I hear the chinese pistol fire at the sand bags. I wait for its user to reload. They don't know their already dead. I flick open **Dark Blade **and instead of the battle rage I feel serene.

I hear a click and I know now is the time and my mind goes blank and I watch what happens like one of the holotapes mister Broach used to show us. I jumped over cover and ran toward the closest one; he obviously didn't expect me to rush them. My luck to as he is the one with the pistol. I sever the tendons in his wrist with a quick slash and then go for his neck. The polished blade cuts through his skin like butter. I don't wait for him to fall down as one of the other raiders jabs at me with a sharpened pool stick. I quickly turn and hook the ancient wooden stick with my hand and yank it toward me. The raider unbalanced by this action stumbles directly into my fist and as he falls down with the wind knocked out of him I punch downward and break his neck. The last raider only has a knife and he throws it down. He's afraid and he begs. But, the only thing I can offer him is a swift death with almost practiced ease I take out my 10mm and shoot him in the head with the last round in the chamber.

Time seems to stretch but slowly retracts and resumes normal pace. My mind starts back up and it is only then did I notice that throughout the entire battle I heard no hunting rifle fire.

"Amata." It comes out in a whisper but it cuts through my mind. I find myself sprinting toward the barn.

It only takes me a minute but it seems like an eternity before I reach the barn. The kicked up dust particles fill my nose and I can barely stop myself from coughing. As I approach I see the tinted helmet lying in the dust and pick it up as I run. I quickly enter the barn and what I see ignites something in me. Without any hesitation I grab the man by his clothes and with strength I didn't even know I possessed throw him off her. I barely register him flying through the wall and quickly kneel down next to her and cover her up with my coat and pull up her pants. She wasn't violated, but the anger won't die down. I hear a groan and see the man try and get up. I quickly jog over and kick him back down. I pull out **Dark Blade **and hold it against his skin.

**Finish him Abbadon.**

_No, not like this, he wants to act like a fucking dog he'll die like a fucking dog. Besides this will feel much better. _

I pull the blade from his neck and see him sigh.

"Die." I let my anger flow through my fist and for the first time in my life I lose control.

I barely register the pain coming from my knuckles as I continue to bash his head into the ground. He tries to push me off but he's no match for my fury. I push his hands to the side and after a few more punches he stops struggling. I smash his nose into pulp, I break his eye sockets and pop his eyes out of his head. He tries not to choke on his blood and I hear this loud roar as his skin gives way and his head flies away from his body. I feel his body jerk. Long overdue convulsions cause his fingers to twitch and his legs to jerk. The smell of shit is prevalent as I get off the corpse and walk back toward Amata. I wipe the blood off my hands and onto the walls.

**That was very interesting Mal. **

_He deserved his end. That is all._

**Hmmm…**

I crouch next to Amata's form and gently pick her up and carry her up the wooden stairs. I take out a sleeping bag from my pip-boy and lay her down on it. I quickly link pip-boys with her and checked her medical status and sighed when I saw that nothing major was wrong with her. She'd wake up soon enough. I looked up and spotted the hunting rifle I sent her to retrieve. It was in bad condition. But, still workable, I took out the empty clip and the near empty box of .308's. I put in four rounds and made a makeshift sling. I looked again at Amata and walked down the stairs to check the traders bags. It's mostly shit but what I find makes me smile and set it the useful things on the table. I pull the four frag mines from the bag and quickly set them up. I don't want anyone to sneak up on us. With that done I walked back up the stairs and sat with the hunting rifle. I'm just about to disassemble the parts when I heard something to the left. I turned around and saw Amata sit up and shuffle back against the wall searching for the rip in her jumpsuit. I had replaced it with a fresh one when she was asleep.

"Amata calm down…" I dropped the hunting rifle onto the table and slowly approached her.

She looked up at me and I saw the fear in her eyes and the unanswered question in them.

"No he didn't. I stopped him just in time love." I crouched down in front of her and gently took her hand. She flinched and hesitated before jumping on me. Her arms hugged me with all her strength as she cried.

"I tried my hardest Abbadon. I did. I did, I did, I did." I felt her nails dig into my skin through my shirt.

"I know Amata. Everything's going to be alright. You managed to hold him off until I arrived. It may not look it but you won. You're alive and he's dead." I gently rubbed her back.

"I want to see the body…" She whispered. I nodded lightly and lifted her up to her feet. We walked down the stairs together and I walked her over to the body. I saw her nose wrinkle up; the smell of his already decomposing body was sickly sweet and smelled of shit. She spat on it and walked back to the barn on her own.

I watched the body for a second longer before following her. I caught up with her and we both entered the barn at the same time.

"What did you manage to collect?" She looked at the packs that I had harvested from the dead traders Brahmin which was tied up to a wooden post outside.

"Mostly junk, but a few weapons, ammo and food." I gestured to the table upstairs. We both walked up and I watched her as she looked at the strange weapons.

"What's this?" She pointed at what seemed like a hand held version of a chainsaw.

"This is a Ripper. Popular in trench warfare against the Chinese invasion of Anchorage, close combat infantry favored this over the trench knives because it could cut through armor like butter and clear barb wire in a second. It was prone to overheating though. But, if used correctly it would never get to that point." I picked up the Ripper and pressed the trigger and smiled slightly as it roared into life.

"What about this?" She lifted up a shot gun with a drum barrel clip.

"Shot gun. Very reliable. Unlike the popular polymer plastic stock of other shotguns this thing was made to be used as a club as well as a street sweeper. The drum holds twelve shells but it is prone to jamming in bad condition. But, very useful when sweeping a room or building." She placed the weapon back on the table before picking up a Chinese assault rifle.

"Ah. I think this is an AK-47 adapted Chinese assault rifle. The Chinese may not have been able to make a pistol but they sure could make a rifle. This thing is amazing, barely jams, packs firepower, and made to take a beating." I gently take it from her hands and pull in up to bear and aim down the sights.

"And this?" She lifts up a long bore sniper rifle.

"This is the standard sniper rifle made for the elite sharp shooters of the U.S army. I was planning on letting you use it. You're better than me at long range and I'm more suited for close to medium range. This sniper rifle should fit you better than it does me, and we have a lot of ammo for it. Try it out." I pushed a chair toward her and had her rest the sniper rifle barrel on a sand bag and sit down.

"See that can over there on that burn out car?" I pointed and watched her look through the scope. Already I saw her nimble fingers touch the dials and calculate the various factors to reach her target. She clicked off the safety and in three seconds pulled the trigger. I watched with a pair of binoculars as the can flew off the car.

"You're a natural already love." I can see her smile as she scans the horizon with the scope. I look at my pip-boy and check the time. It's almost seven and the sun will complete its arduous run across the sky soon.

"We need to prepare camp." I look over and see Amata look around the barn.

"I already did, there were a couple of mines inside the traders pack and I set them in three different locations. But, like last night I'll take watch. I'll wake you up when it's your turn." I pick up the ripper and attach it to my belt and swing the shotgun over my shoulder.

"I don't know if I can sleep…" She whispered as she laid down on her sleeping bag and leaned the Chinese assault rifle against the wall in quick reaching distance.

"I know. But try anyway." I walk down the stairs and hide in the corner beneath the stairs and relax as I let my night vision begin to kick in.

**It was close today kid. **

_I know…_

**You got there just in time.**

_I know.._

**Be quicker.**

_I know._

I still don't know if it was me or **Beast **who did it but my hand gripped the two century stock of the shotgun till it shook.

_No one touches Amata._

_**Next day**_

Morning comes without a hitch. I untangle myself from my hiding spot and carefully begin to disarm the mines I had placed around the camp. Amata sleeps lightly in the second floor and I can't wake her yet, she finally fell asleep. I collect loose pieces of wood and quickly start a small fire. No one is close and even through the holes in the wall I could see for miles around us. Carefully I grabbed a rebar grate I had found and threw it on the fire to quickly sanitize the grill. I walked over to the dead trader's packs and found some mole rat meat that was on the fast track to rotten and a dirty bottle of prewar purified water. Why dip into current supplies in our pip-boys when we have quick usable resources?

I pulled two cement blocks from the corner of the barn and put them on opposite ends of the fire pit. I used a clean piece of scrap metal from the vault to pull the grate up onto the blocks and poured water on top of the grate and scrubbed it as best I could with the same metal piece. Satisfied that it was rather clean I picked up the mole rat meat and tossed it onto the grill.

"What's that smell?" I looked behind me and saw Amata walking down the stairs.

"What are you doing up? You only slept for an hour." I looked at her accusingly.

"How would you know that? Besides that you never answered my question. What is that smell?" She had a small smile on her face as she sniffed the air lightly.

"Mole Rat meat, medium well done." I smiled at her.

"Don't you mean burned and charred?" She pointed at the grill and I knew what had happen before I turned my head.

"Aw shit!" The meat had caught on fire and was quickly burning down to the center.

Quickly I speared it with the scrap metal turned fork and pulled it off the grill until the fat finally burned away. Scowling I placed it on a plate.

"This is your fault." I gave it another glare and stabbed it again with the fork.

"Really? I thought the famous chef Mal would be more competent and watch the food." She laughed lightly before hissing and lightly touching the stitches on her face.

"Let me see that. There was so much happening last night that I forgot to check on it." She gently kneeled down next to me as I inspected her wound.

The skin was tight and had a red tinge to it but other than that it still looked clean and hadn't ripped open. Still I materialized a doctors kit and pulled out the antiseptic and cotton.

"Seriously? Do you really have to do that?" She scowled and her hands gripped her armor in anticipation.

"Unless you want the left side of your face to fall off, yeah, I kind of have to, don't worry it'll only hurt for a bit then I can inject you with some stimpacks." I opened the bottle and pressed the cotton to the lip and dampened the cotton.

"Fine but you better be quick." She crossed her arms and huffed.

"You're being a baby." I gently press the cotton against the stitches and winced as she hissed in pain.

"Done yet?" I swear I could hear her teeth grinding.

"No." I grumbled in annoyance.

"Well hurry the fuck up! And don't act like you've never heard that before."

**Heh, she's funny.**

_Shut up._

"There done. Now let me just give you this injection and we can eat." I gently pulled a stimpack from the bag and put the stimpack into her pip-boy. Immediately the pip-boy injected the stimpack into her bloodstream and she instantly felt better due to the pain suppressors.

"Now let's eat and we can discuss our plans from there." She silently nodded as I grabbed a knife and cut the piece of charred meat in half.

"You know this thing looks like it was sent to hell then was spat back out." Amata lightly poked the badly burnt meat before stabbing it and taking a bite.

"Well at least I burned out the flavor. Mole Rat meat doesn't taste great from what I heard from my dad." I took a bite and had to fight to keep from spitting it out.

"Are you telling me that this taste worse than it already is?" She looked at me before setting the meat down on the plate.

"Just eat it. Trust me it's better to eat this than a dead human body." I took another reluctant bite of the meat leaving only a third left.

"You mean cannibalism? Really? Are you serious?" I can see the disgust in her face.

"Yes." I took the third and final bite of the meat and quickly chased it down with some water.

How can people do that? That's just sick and…perverted. Gross I'm never eating another human being." Amata quickly threw down the meat still barely eaten, her face slightly pale from the thought.

"Hunger does funny things to people, and it's not like before, I mean look around us Amata, it's not exactly like you can go vegan in this Wasteland. Hell you never know what you're capable of. For example, that guard in my room. You killed him. No warning, you saw and you acted. When we're pushed killing is as easy as breathing. That applies to almost everything even eating anything to stay alive. Now eat." I pointed to the burnt piece of meat and I watched as she silently picked it up and started nibbling on it again.

"Now onto the plan, when I was outside I spotted Springville."

"Springville?"

"It's a ghost town burned out and totally deserted. But, more importantly after Springville I saw Megaton."

"Megaton?"

"Do you want me to tell you the plan or not?" I huffed in annoyance.

"Fine whatever. Don't girl out on me." She crossed her arms and I just sighed.

"Whatever. Anyway, Megaton is a post war settlement built around an old unexploded atom bomb. No it's not going to explode, because it's a dud, now my dad said that if our plans ever had to be executed early I was to head to Megaton and find Collin Moriarty, an old buddy of my dad. Should be able to supply from there…"

"Then what?" She took one last bite of her Mole Rat meat and grabbed the bottle from my hands and washed down the taste with the remainder.

"We gain the trust of the population, not just of Megaton, but most, if not all Wasteland D.C." I watched as she began to connect the dots. Her face twists from surprise, confusion, then to realization.

"If you were to gain the support of all the settlements scattered in the wasteland, then you would be able to build an empire. But it wouldn't work. There are not enough supplies, the logistics alone are staggering. We are talking about uniting people from different backgrounds, cultures, and life and making them into a government, a people, and a society. You're talking about bringing back old America something we can't do. Hell I don't think there's even enough water to supply the amount of people we are talking about which would be like thousands. Half of that if we are lucky will be raiders, others defenseless old people and children and about maybe a few hundreds of people actually able to defend, work, and sustain this empire. The more I think about it the more impossible this seems. That will never work." She gave an exasperated sigh.

"There is a way Amata." I leaned in close.

"Yeah and what is that? Because your speaking fucking loony tunes Abbadon."

"What's the one thing that's always on short supply? What is the most important currency beside caps? What could change a dying man's opinion hell, even his loyalties when all he can taste is dirt and dust?" I question. Hinting at what my father and I have been working on. She stayed silent for a moment and lightly rested her chin on her hand.

"Is the answer water?"

"Yes! Exactly."

"How does water help us at all? I mean I'm sure there is water in the Wasteland, it would just be irradiated as shit. Well maybe not bad. It's had two hundred years to degrade the radioactive properties in it. Still though it would cause radiation sickness, even death still, well you would need a purifier…purifier...You plan on purifying enough water for everyone in the wasteland don't you." She gave me an accusing glance.

"No that's to short sighted. What I'm talking about is building a purifier, an incredibly large and able to process thousands of tons of gallons of water in about an hour, purifier, so that in a few short months or even weeks it will filter out the radiation and whatever garbage, and leave only pure fresh water. This would change Wasteland D.C, it could even change the world if we had enough of them running up and down the coast, rivers, anywhere we could." I can't contain the energy and excitement that has somehow found itself in my voice.

"That's all well, good and all but, we don't have the man power to do it, let alone the resources, the research hasn't been done and tested, if anything it wouldn't be done in our lifetimes also sit down." I barely noticed that I've been standing and pacing the whole time I talked about the purifier. I calmly sit back down in front of her and continue.

"That's the beauty of it Amata. The research has been done, the trials tested, the structure is there, and after years of searching my father finally discovered what was missing. The G.E.C.K."

"G.E.C.K?"

"Yes, before the war D.O.D, department of defense, figured the probability of all out nuclear war was more on the side of inevitable. In preparation they initiated "Project Safehouse", a project that influenced the creation of the vaults, and everything inside them, including the G.E.C.K's which stands for "Garden of Eden Creation Kit." Some vaults were given one or two of them. But, everything that was needed to start a civilization was in it. Vault 101 was never given one because it was designed to fail. A Greek tragedy, when my father found out he flipped the table." I laughed lightly.

"So what you're saying is that all we need to do is find the G.E.C.K?"

"Yes, but that's my father's mission. I didn't expect to leave so soon but we had contingencies just in case. He will be fine by himself. He's lived out here most of his life and survived so many things, he won't die easily. He will search and find the G.E.C.K. Our job is to gain the trust of the populous, and a strong following." I pointed out.

"What about this structure you're talking about? How can it be operational and how can you be sure that it's still there and not blown to bits by some raider with a hard on for explosions?"

"The structure is located within Jefferson memorial. It was made to withstand terroristic attacks and war. It's one of the reasons why it was chosen as the site for this purifier. Another is that it is right in the middle of the tidal basin. Prime location for the job it's needed to do. Secondly it's located and protected by the Brotherhood of Steel."

"Yeah well who the hell is the Brotherhood of Steel? You forget Mal that I don't know where the fuck I am let alone the history of this place." She lightly pushed me and made a face.

"Sorry. The Brotherhood of Steel is a faction filled with soldiers, and scientists. They were formed from remnants of the army. They have a strict code of conduct and their primary mission is to keep advance technology from us "Locals". Normally they wouldn't associate with us but, the branch of Brotherhood of Steel that was sent here to D.C is under command by a man, Lyons I think my father called him. He's more of a humanitarian, been doing some good around here and him and his men are the only things keeping the Super Mutants at bay. He's a good man." I lightly tap the left side of my chest with my right fist. A sign of respect.

"Ah, they sound like a group that we need to get acquainted with and soon." I look into her eyes and already I can tell she sees what I see. The Brotherhood was a preassembled army, filled with veterans; after all they need to be in order to have survived this long. To gain their trust and resources was a monumental move.

"Yes. Now, do you have any more questions before we start sparring again?" I stood up with a groan and lightly began to stretch out.

"What are Super Mutants? You keep saying it and referring to them but what are they?" She mirrored me and began to stretch as well.

"Super mutants are…dangerous. They stand at seven feet tall, which is the average for them. There are some that are exceptions to the rule but, we can get to that later. They have a yellow green colored skin and possess tremendous strength. They may be the strongest in the wasteland but our saving grace is that they are dumb as rocks. They can fire weapons, and have low level intelligence, as in they can talk. But, you can't reason with them, bargain. There are only two different things you can do when you meet one. Hide and hope they don't find you or fight and hopefully win. They can absorb an incredible amount of damage and they have been known to get back up after being shot in the head. Make sure it stays dead by always shooting it in the head twice. Can you dance and talk?" I raise my hands and center my feet. I slowly begin to bounce on the balls of my feet.

"You know it. Now tell me what the exceptions are." Amata mimicked my stance and quickly stepped in and sent a jab. I lean back before sending a light jab into her ribs.

"Get tighter. Don't leave any gaps. Exceptions are interesting. In fact if I had a chance I would study a Super Mutants evolution stages." I notice her feet are too close together and quickly move it to grab her and bring her down to the ground.

I realize it's a trap when I feel a fist hit me in the ear. I'm committed to the take down but we are too close to the wall and I'm a little disoriented from the hit so instead of grabbing her legs I grab her butt and slam her into the wall with my face in her chest. Even through the thick security clothes I can feel her breast. I hear a gasp and instantly I feel legs wrap around my waist.

"Alright this is a little weird." I look up and I'm surprised that she's looking at me with what could only be described as a sultry look. She leans down next to my ear and nips at my ear lightly.

"You know you like it." She pulled back and leaned in close to my lips.

"Well-" Whatever I was going to say went out the window when she head butted me on the nose.

"Fucking dirty!" I immediately flip us around and tossed her to the ground. I quickly wiped the blood off and got back in a stance.

"You said to fight like you were in a life and death situation." She smiled coyly before getting up.

"Yeah, yeah. As a teacher I'm proud that you have gotten this much better in just a few days but as a friend I'm going to kick your ass."

_**Half an hour later**_

Amata fell to the ground bruised and bloody and I leaned against the wall not that much better off.

"Are we done?" She panted lightly before pulling herself up and against the wall.

"Yeah. We're good." I limped over to the trader's bags and pulled out the last two bottles of purified water and hand one to her and open up one for me. We both took the time to recover and relax.

"So when are we heading out Abbadon?" She took one last gulp of water from her water bottle before getting up and putting it into the pack.

"I guess we should go now. Its mid-day, and we are close to Megaton. I think the best way to get to Megaton is to go through Springville. We'll put the bags on the Brahmin and take it with us. We can sell the bags, goods and it over there and use the caps to buy decent weapons and hell we might even find information of any damsels in distress." I laugh lightly and watch her get up.

"Well let's go." She tossed me the combat shotgun and I sighed before looking down.

"I'm carrying the heavy stuff aren't I?"

"Of course."

"Fuck."

After quickly materializing our possessions and packing the Brahmin we started our short journey. I was grateful that Amata wasn't one of the girly girls that most of the vault women were. She kept up with me as we quickly walked around the small hillside where vault 101 was buried and finally took a ten minute break when we hit asphalt and the other side.

"Springville should be just down this road. Maybe we should take precautions." I looked over to her and caught the water bottle she tossed me.

"What do you have in mind?" I took a small gulp of water before capping it and tossing it back.

"Well, you see that cliff over there right above the main road? I want you to take the Brahmin and your sniper rifle and perch it up there. That way you have a clear view over the little town. If I run into trouble or get into a fire fight with other raiders I need you to provide support." I could see she wanted to say something but I stopped her by raising my hand.

"This is the best course of action we can take. I'm not great at long range, and I can't protect you if we are both down there. There isn't a lot of cover and whatever buildings are left can be blown down by a stiff wind. I need you to do this okay?"

"Fine but if I accidentally nick you don't blame me. I've only fired this thing once. Now what should our signal be if we do run across someone?" I'm pulling my combat shotgun to bare and pull open the drum to double check the amount of shells I have left.

"Since we can't use the radios in our pip-boys at this distance, I'll use this to signal you. One flash says friendly. Two flashes mean enemy okay?" I pull out **Dark Blade**, flip it open and flip it shut.

"You should be more careful with that straight razor. Might cut yourself you know." I watch as she materializes the Sniper Rifle and safety checks it.

"Heh. What are you my girlfriend or something" I smile as she throws a bit of dirt my way.

"Nah. I'll just head butt you again if you manage to cut yourself." She laughs lightly before lightly grabbing the Brahmins rope and leading it to the cliff.

"Good luck." I watch her go.

"You too. Also, stop looking at my ass." I chuckle slightly before I lightly begin to jog down the road.

As I get closer I slow down and pull up before a burned out car. I take a second and look up and see Amata looking at me through her scope. I smile and flip her the bird before I roadie run to the skeletal burnt remains of a home. I automatically scan the floor for anything of use. I smile as I see a small safe in the remains of the floor under the rusted form of the bed frame. I'm glad it's a cheap make and quickly broke the lock with a screw driver and a bobby pin. Why bobby pins fit into most safe locks I have no idea. But, it doesn't matter as I pull open the rusted door and find my prize. I find a box of .32 bullets never opened and a well-worn .32 revolver as well as a holster; someone had used it often but kept it in loving condition. Immediately I put on the holster and load the .32 before safely hiding it away in the folds of my trench coat. All of this takes less than 10 minutes before moving over to the next house.

Upon inspection I see nothing but a charred cabinet. I don't have anything to lose. I cautiously go over the cabinet before lightly pulling the door open and sigh. Nothing was in it except an unbroken bottle of nuka-cola. At least it's something wet. I pull it out and store it in my pip-boy. I close the door before hearing a shriek and like a caught animal I freeze.

"Amata…" Faster than I've ever known myself to move I rushed out of the house and look back to her sniper perch. I sigh as I see her safely staring through her scope but she wasn't looking at me. She was looking on down the road.

I quickly hugged the wall and peaked around the corner. Two raiders were pulling a woman out of a house. I was too far away from the scene to hear them but I knew what was happening or what was going to happen. It was too late to save her. I quickly looked up at Amata and saw her looking back at me. She didn't ask anything and I knew that if I gave the order we would retreat and wait for the raiders to take the woman away. I looked down and sighed.

"Fuck…" I looked back up at her and nodded my head as I slid a finger across my throat. She smiled and looked through her scope again taking quick aim. I pulled my shot gun into my arms and took a deep breath before turning the corner and started sprinting. She would only have one shot before they killed the girl. I had to take care of the other one.

I don't exactly remember what happened but what I do remember was that they saw me and began firing their poorly maintained 10 mm pistols. I saw the raider on the right's head go missing, the raider on the left look toward his friend which gave me an opportunity to get up in his face and press the muzzle of the shotgun into his stomach winding him before firing upward sending him flying back onto the pavement with a gaping hole in his midsection. I slowly wiped the blood off my gun and caught my breath before turning back to the woman. She had some age on her but you could tell that she was a beauty at one point.

"You alright miss?" I lent her a hand and pulled her up when she grabbed my hand.

"That has to be the stupidest thing I've seen out here boy. What the hell were you thinking of doing?"

"Just saving your ass." I glance down at the two dead raiders and then back at her.

"In more ways than one I'm guessing. What the hell are you doing out here by yourself anyway? Why not head to Megaton?" She sighed and began walking back to the house.

"You're just going to stay here?" I yelled at her as she pulled open the door.

"Yeah. Why? What do you want? A piece of me?" She looked at me and snarled. I slowly began walking to the house.

"You know these raiders won't let this go. They'll come after you."

"I know." She sighed.

"Are you just going to sit here and wait to die? Come with us to Megaton and you can at least find a place to stay or something."

"I can't. There's this guy…Moriarty. He says I owe him caps. He won't rest till I pay him back and I don't want to go back to whoring. I'm done with that life."

"I know Moriarty. I'm sure I can get him to take back your debt. If not I'll pay him off. You can't stay here. You know what these raiders can do to you."

"Yeah like I'll believe some kid, and what will the raiders do that hasn't already been done to me before?" She walked into the house and I followed.

"You know what they can do, and sure they can kill you only once, but they'll tear you apart ma'am. I promise that I'll help you with your debt. But, you can't stay here." She stayed silent as she sat on the old child size bed. I could practically see the gears turning in her head.

"Fine…I'll come with you to Megaton. Hopefully you're not all full of shit. Anyway it can't be any worse than this." She gestured at the small house.

"Good, now come on. I'm sure my friend Amata will want to meet the person she helped rescue." I turn around and walk back out of the dimly lit house into the sun light.

I look to the right and see Amata leading the Brahmin down the same road I was running down just a few minutes ago. I waved at her and walked down to the dead raiders. I pick up the two 10mm pistols and store them into the pip-boy as well as a few loose bullets. When I'm done searching over the bodies I see Amata and the woman sitting in the shade talking softly.

"So no one wants to help me?"

"Well I'm not as young as I used to be…Abbadon right?" She looked at Amata and she nodded lightly.

"And I'm a girl. You can't expect me to do heavy work right?"

"Women."/**Women**

They both laughed as I dragged the two bodies into one of the burned out houses. I walk over to the wall and pull a cabinet down on top of the bodies. I walked back to them and sat down tiredly in the shade before looking at my pip-boy. The time was just at 4pm. Two hours before darkness. Before this incident happened I knew what I would have to do.

"Ma'am."

"Stop calling me ma'am. I'm not that old boy. My names Silver."

"Alright, Silver, I need you and Amata to head to Megaton." They both looked at me with confusion.

"Like I said before Silver…these raiders won't let this go and they'll know these two are missing. I'm surprised nobody's tried to look for them already. I'll scout and find the rest of this raider gang, and kill them." They both looked on quietly they knew that nothing would stop me from going and going alone.

"They are held up in the School close by." Silver whispered.

"Silver! Don't tell him that!"

"He'll find them eventually Amata. I'd rather him go knowing where they are then just stumbling across them."

"Thank you Silver. Amata take these. I want you to pay off Silver's debt and maybe buy us a place to spend the night." I tossed her the bag of caps I took from my dad's office and whatever I managed to scavenged from the dead raiders. You have everything you need. Silver, take care of her and make sure she gets a fair price for all of this stuff." I hand her the 10mm pistol from my trench coat and as she takes it she nods at me. Amata hugs me.

"Are you going to be okay?" Her voiced is muffled but I hear it clearly and push her back lightly.

"Of course, you know me. I'm good at what I do when it comes to killing. I'll meet you up at Megaton. Promise."

"Alright…but if you don't come back, you know I'm going to come and get you." She looks me in the eyes and firmly grabs my hand.

"I bet you say that to all the guys that plot an attack on a raiders base." She laughs a little and punches my shoulder.

"Come on you love birds. Time to go." Silver has her hand on the Brahmin's reigns and begins walking to Megaton. Amata looks at me once more than rushes to catch up with her. I watch the both of them safely walk to the metal structure in the distance.

**Time to go Mal.**

_I know. Once more into the fray, perhaps into the greatest fight I'll ever know._

**Do you really think we have no chance?**

_Fuck no. Just wanted to say something epic._

**Well you didn't succeed now play me some music boy. I need to be ready for a fight. **

I materialize my headphones and plug it into the pip-boy. I flipped through the music list but finally decided on playing a song I had made just before I left the vault. The guitar plays its notes and it sends my mind to a faraway place and sent a wave of excitement down my spine. I feel my muscles tense and I know I'm ready.

(If you want to know the song, look up "Ain't no rest for the wicked" by Cage the elephant.")

I begin walking to the school structure I had seen a day ago scouting and watch as the sun finally went down. Unbidden I sang the last line to the song.

"You know there ain't rest for the wicked until we close our eyes for good."

**Amen.**

**Sorry for the wait everyone. I've been busy. College, life and a girl do that to you. Anyway I know I said I'd get a new chapter in a week. But Eh. It happens. Well anyway, hope you liked the chapter. Be good people. New question.**

**In Fallout 3 where can you find Vengence?**


	3. Schools Out

School in Session

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything. Everything written down here is pure fiction.**

**Well I've been getting some positive reviews so glad you guys like the story so far. I have bigger plans for this story line. So let's get it going. **

"Talking"

_Thoughts_

**Beast**

*****Beginning Transmission*****

Name: John Frost

Weapons: Assault Rifle, 3 grenades, combat knife

Apparel: Raider Painspike Armor

Strength: 5

Intelligence: 6

Perception: 3

Agility: 8

Luck: 7

Endurance: 7

Charisma: 1

Perks: Strong Back, Gun Nut, Daddy's Boy, Demolitions Expert, Rad Resistance, Size Matters, WarMonger

Characteristics:

Gender: Male

Race: Caucasian

Height: 5'8"

Age: 21

Blood Type: O+

Eye Color: Blue

Hair color: Blonde (kept in a Mohawk)

Ethincity: German/Russian

Psychological Evaluation: Mr. Frost is unquestionably insane. Little is known about his past but, he is an acknowledge cannibal. He displays several characteristics that hint at multiple personalities. His first personality is as John. In this mode he is stable, and perfectly reasonable. However, when his other personality takes over as **Frost**, he becomes a different person. He is…difficult. As he can be perfectly polite one second and the next he tries to stab you with a pen. He is extremely violent, and has a complete lack of ethical or moral judgment. He punishes his subordinates with swiftness, cutting off body parts before eating it in front of the newly amputee. Other punishments are worse, yet effective in keeping the members of his raider band under control. Despite his insanity he has moments of clarity where his intelligence shows quite clearly. In these moments he seems to regret his actions. Regardless he is extremely dangerous.

[Warning: If you are not comfortable with rated R themes, as in violence, and other things like that please skip Audio Log]

(Audio log recovered from the Commonwealth)

Doctor: Hello John.

John: Hello doctor.

Doctor: How are you today? Did you sleep well? Were there any nightmares?

John: (Seems hesitant) Nightmares sir…he was in them.

Doctor: You mean Frost?

John: (John goes silent and leans forward and whispers) Sir don't say his name…

Doctor: John…who is Frost?

John: Sir, please don't say that name.

Doctor: Why not John? Isn't Frost you're friend?

John: NO! NONONONONONONONONONONONONONO ! (Primal Screams)

Doctor: QUICKLY HOLD HIM DOWN!...There we go John. Isn't that better? (A pause) Good, then if Frost isn't a friend. What is he?

John: He's darkness sir. True and black. He…makes me do things sometimes…

Doctor: Like what John?

John: I don't know…bits and pieces. A man with no eyes, a woman cut to shreds. It's so horrible doctor. Why haven't you gotten rid of it already I came here to get better. Why aren't I better?

Unknown: Because John they can't help you. They want to poke you, make fun of you, and hurt you. But, I'm your friend.

Doctor: John? Listen to me.

John: Stop it! I don't want to! You can't make me sleep!

Unknown: Yes I can.

John: NOOO! (Silence for a few seconds)

Unknown: Hello Doctor.

Doctor: Frost?

Frost: The one in the same **siiiiiiiiiiiir.**

Doctor: (Silence)

Frost: Isn't there some things you wanted to ask me? I'm sure you didn't wake me up just to talk about cats.

Doctor: What happened to Johns parents?

Frost: Ah. The Parents. Well as you know I killed them.

Doctor: Why?

Frost: I had to protect John. He was too weak to stop them from hurting him again and again. He tried to reach out but the Commonwealth didn't want to stop their two leading scientist from their experiments. Oh the things they did to him makes me wish I had savored the moment a little while longer. I should have eaten the dad alive and I should have screwed that pretty little mother. The things I could have done if I wasn't so happy to be alive.

Doctor: You're twisted.

Frost: I know. Isn't it **delightful**?

Doctor: What the hell are you?

Frost: Let's make a game out of it. I live in the souls of all the weak and greedy. I torment the already tormented, and corrupt the innocent few. What am I?

Doctor: (Silence) The devil? (Muffled sounds of restraints falling off)

Frost: No Doc.

(20 minutes of fighting, screams, ripping, and several unknown sounds occur)

Frost: I guess I wasn't fair earlier Doc. Even I don't know what I am.

Doctor: (Coughing and crying)

Frost: Now, now don't cry. Here eat this. I made it just for you.

Doctor: NO! NO NO NO NO N-

Frost: How does Sharron's leg taste? Don't worry we have a lot left. Oh, is this thing still on? **Good night John.**

(End Audio Log)

Position: Raider leader

Location: Springville Elementary School

Threat Level: Individually: Moderate (Proceed with caution) Group: Dangerous

*****End Transmission*****

"So this is the end."

I gasp harshly, my body jump starting back to life. Immediately I press my hand against the hole in my shoulder, courtesy of the piece of rebar sticking through and presently the only thing holding me up. The pain almost sends me back into the black but I manage to hold on to conciseness. My breathing is irregular and comes in quick and ragged gasps. I shake my head to clear up my vision. I look up and as my vision clears I see Frost sitting on a piece of rubble looking at the moon, his Assault Rifle leaned against him like an affectionate pet.

"You know I had high hopes for us Abbadon. May I call you Abbadon? I saw it on your Pip-Boy, you know you really should put a password on that thing, but back to business. Did you really think that you would walk away from this? Storming my place like a knight in shining armor? Nearly succeeded though, so that's something to take note. I mean sure you killed all of my guys but, I can always find more, and when I do I'll find your friend Amata and I'll cook her still kicking and screaming over a fire pit. Still though, no hard feelings eh bud?" He flicked his cigarette over the edge and watches it fall into darkness.

I watch as he stands up and stretches. He lifts up his assault rifle and cradles it in his arms like a new born babe. I look down at my shoulder and quickly gauge the damage. There's plenty of blood but all in all it's a superficial wound, nothing vital was damaged, still it hurt like hell.

"That's one hell of a wound, should leave one crazy fucking scar, well you know if you live that long." He walks toward me with the sway of a man who knows he won. He stops a few feet away from me and raises his assault rifle at me. I take the time to notice the inside of the barrel needed a good cleaning.

"You know kid you gave me one hell of a scare. I mean you really did. The closest thing to killing me besides my parents, it's a shame that you have to go out like this but, just as a favor for my would-be killer. Any last words?"

The only thing that I can think of is how much I underestimated this fucker.

_**3 Hours Earlier**_

Silver was true to her word. It didn't take me long to find the raider base. Although, it wasn't that hard to spot, the smoke and the smell of unwashed and decomposing bodies filled the air with something gone sour and festering wounds. I take the time to cover my mouth with a spare cloth before heading closer in to the school. Before attacking I would need to get an estimate on numbers. I stayed away from the entrance and crept around the building. It doesn't take long before I hear a few raiders talking. Their voices were muffled but I could still gauge how close they were from me. After a few seconds I rounded the corner and I didn't need to rely on my hearing anymore.

Due to some lazy contract worker or less than quality material or the bombs, or time, the entire side of the building had collapsed allowing three stories of brick and mortar to collapse on teachers and students. A painful death I would imagine, and on some occasions one that took a while, judging by the skeletal fingers just barely sticking out of the dust. The struggle forever imprinted on the broken and chipped tips of the owners skeletal fingers.

**Sad, isn't it?**

_Very._

I quickly step around the remains and continue toward the hole in the building. Now I can get a clear glimpse of a group of raiders. Sentries by the looks of them, one on the third floor holding a hunting rifle, and two on the ground, each caring Chinese pistols. I watch and wait for an opportunity and pull out **Dark Blade**. It doesn't take long for one of the lazier raiders to look for somewhere to lean on. In a bit of luck he walks toward me and my small outcrop of the left over collapsed wall. When he reaches the wall I tense before standing up and in a swift motion let **Dark Blade **dance across the raiders filthy throat. He doesn't struggle as I put an arm over his shoulder and pull him over the ledge and into the dirt in front of me; everything goes smoothly except the body makes a louder sound than I had anticipated.

"Yo Eddie! You fall down or something again man?" I peek over the wall and see the third sentry on the third floor has no idea what happened. So I take the opportunity, I groan loudly in mock pain.

"Hey man, Frost is gonna tear you a new one if you hurt yourself over a fucking wall." I hear him come closer. This time I decide to take a different tact.

"Eddie?" He leans over the wall cautiously. Smart if this was just a normal accident.

I take this one by surprise as well as I grab his belt buckle and pull him over the wall and onto his back. He's so confused and flustered with pain that he doesn't react with full strength as I wrap my arm around his neck and pull up cutting off the flow of oxygen and blood. I remember reading that if blood flow is restricted from the brain sufficiently it takes 24 seconds for the victim to fall unconscious, time to back it up. He struggles weakly but he doesn't last the 24 seconds. I twist his neck and feel a strange satisfaction of a job well done.

"Freeze Bitch." I feel a cold barrel of a .38 caliber hunting rifle press against the base of my neck.

**Fuck. **_Fuck._

I stand up.

"Turn around and don't try nothing mother fucker."

I turned around with a big grin on my face.

"What you grinning…" I pushed the barrel out of the way with my right hand and grab a loose brick on the wall with my left hand before hitting his throat. The weight of the brick combined with my strength and speed crushed his windpipe instantly. He grabbed at his throat in a futile effort, struggling for air that I know will never come. His eyes widen with panic as he tries and fails to get air into his lungs. Eventually he fell on his knees weezing and then finally his back.

I sighed and begin searching the bodies of the three men. I find a stimpack, and 3 canisters of jet. I check the Chinese pistols and place them in my mind just about scrap metal. The parts will do me good. I place them in my pip-boy for further maintenance checks along with the ammo for them. The hunting looks in somewhat good shape but I put it in my pip-boy as well. For close combat my shotgun will work best. Now that there was no immediate danger around me I finally checked the rest of my surroundings. A little to my left, remained a classroom, the green board stood proudly with words in chalk still on its face and three rows of desks facing studiously toward it. I shrug before walking over and flipping each desk top open.

I was surprised to find almost 50 bottle caps along with a nukacola. More than I could have hoped for. I carefully store my new treasure and walked down the rubble leading downward into a slope that turned sharply to the left. Careful as to not to make noise, I followed the path to a door. I could only assume it's a basement.

**Heh. Think it's safe?**

_When's the last time we did anything safe?_

**Good point. Still, we have no idea how many are in there and even if we did Mal, we don't know anything about this raider clan. **

_What's there to know? These raiders are blood thirsty morons. I'll catch them off guard, they won't even catch me and they'll never know I'm here._

**Alright Mal. But just remember this I don't like it here and if shit goes south, run. You can always fight another day. **

_I'll keep that in mind._

I lightly turned the knob and push the door open slightly, carefully I move my hand up and down the door frame trying to feel any hidden traps hidden in the shadows. Satisfied that the door way was safe I pushed it open and step into the blackness. I pull the door closed behind me and allow my eyes to adjust to the light. As my vision settles I find there are two ways to proceed either take a left or go right.

**Left or right Mal? **

_Depends…_

Just as I start contemplating, my decision is made for me. A female raider turns the corner trying to light a cigarette and for a second her eyes and mine met each other.

"Don't." I don't get any farther before she runs and I chase her down the hall way. I can see her goal, an intercom with its activation light still burning, and she runs faster than I've ever seen anybody, to reach it and by some miracle she does.

"INTRUD!" I slam into her before she can finish, and we land in the dust, tumbling around.

She's flexible, as years of experience fighting, have taught her to be; she wraps around me and manages to straddle me. Instantly she starts raining down punches trying to knock me out. But, her slight advantage doesn't last long as I catch her arm and pushed my hips up throwing her off me. I press my advantage and get on top of her before grabbing both sides of her face and begin slamming the back of her head against the ground. I grunt with effort and keep at it; I don't remember when she stopped trying to push me off. What I do remember is that my hands became so slick with blood my grip slipped and her head fell back with a wet smack for the final time.

I lean back against a wall and sigh, catching my breath.

"You're dead."

I look up and see the intercom light flashing.

"I don't know who you are, I don't know where you came from, and I don't care. All I care about is that you killed one of my subordinates. And from her voice I would guess it was Tasha. It's a fucking shame. I liked Tasha. That just makes this much easier you son of a bitch. Listen up, whomever, finds this fucker and kills him will be given some caps. Whoever brings him back to me alive will become my right hand man, and you know what that means. You're exempt from punishment."

Even in the basement I could hear the shouts of men and women upstairs, their voices rumbled throughout the building and for a second I knew fear. These were desperate screams, and anyone with half a brain knows that a desperate animal is at its most dangerous.

"Better run boy. I think my soldiers are out for blood now and don't try to escape. These buildings were made during the war. I already automatically locked all entrances and exits. Only way to get out of here is up. Good luck." The intercom clicked off.

**You underestimated them MAL. **

_I know but, it won't change anything. _

**Get up you fucking moron.**

I follow **Beasts **instructions and check my gear. Everything is where it needs to be. Already I can feel the vibrations and hear footsteps racing above me, and down the hall. I look to my left and see two doors. Quickly I kick open the closest door and shut it behind me and just in time too. As I hear the footsteps stop just a few feet from the door.

"Hey man it's a dead end over here. Remember? Frost locked this place down after he took over. Ants down there are bad mother fuckers. Let's see who the stiff is while we're here." I hear a few shuffling sounds as they turn over the body.

"Ah shit! It's Tasha. Fuck man, she had such a sweet body. If only she wasn't bosses girl. I would have loved to get my dick wet in her."

"Her body's still warm if you're not too picky Saul."

"Fuck you man, that's sick. I'm gonna find the fucker who did this. You…can do whatever you want but I'm not gonna be a part of it Shiny"

"Whatever man, your loss bitch." I heard "Saul" run back down the hall way and a final squeak as his feet turned a corner. I opened the door and see "Shiny" pulling down the now named Tasha's ripped jeans.

"You still have a fucking ass on you huh bitch." He doesn't notice, to preoccupied with Tasha's dead body I suppose. Good for me as I slam his head against the wall and drag him into the room. Immediately I pick him up and slam him onto a desk hanging close to the edge of a hole and use the hand cuffs from the vault guards, and cuff his wrists and ankles to the desk.

"WHO THE FUCK ARE YOU?!" He struggles against his bindings before I shove a rag into mouth and drop an elbow into his stomach.

"Shut up. You'll wake up the neighbors." I point down and right below the precipice of where the desks hangs off he can see the giant ants reach up and bite up at him.

"It's a good thing theses ants are stupid. Now I don't care who you are. All I can promise is I won't throw you to these ants if you tell me everything you know. Now when I take out this rag you will whisper what you know. Got it Shiny?" He nods in agreement and I take out the rag.

"Now who runs this place?"

"This cat name John Frost. Came here a year ago and killed boss man. Took his position."

"What this tunnel for?"

"Boss man wanted to dig into vault 101. Take the bitches and everything else. Ha. We didn't get far before we hit an ant nest. Three of the gang was dead and eaten to the bone in seconds."

"Dumb move, now last question how many levels to the top and how many of you raider fucks are in here?"

"There are three levels. Frost is at the top past the library. There are maybe fifty of us. He does things man. Eats the dead, eats us if he feels like it. You killing him would be the best thing to happen to us in a long time. Now let me go I've told you everything I know. "

"But Shiny…I never promised to let you go." I place my hands on the table and lean in.

"You see I hate sick fucks like you. I hate the air you breathe, the space you take up, I hate the smell, and I hate how you feel like everything belongs to you. I hate the life you live; I hate how you rape, torture, and steal. I hate you with the very marrow in my bones. Of course that doesn't mean I wouldn't give any of you a second chance if I truly believed you wanted one. But, I can sense the darkness in you. You're pitch dark Shiny. Dracula Black my friend. You can't lie to me." I calmly place both my hands around his neck and begin to squeeze.

"Then, (Gasp) you know, that I don't regret shit."

"I know." I stare into his defient eyes as his neck snaps and watch the lights in his eyes, flicker then sputter and finally die out. I would not remember his face in the years to come but I will always remember his smile. It will haunt my dreams forever.

_Or not. _

I smile as I take off the cuffs and push his body into the pit. The ants feast upon his flesh as I pull the door closed and walk down the hall. There is still time for discretion and I pull out a combat knife and hold it in the reverse grip with my right hand. I carefully watch my feet and step over Tasha's body and stop right before the hallway I chased Tasha down on. I peek around the corner and see who I can assume is "Saul" with his back turned toward me inspecting a storage room tucked into the side.

My instincts tell me to kill him and I obey, I'm behind him in no time and wrap my hand around his mouth while I thrust the knife into his kidney. He struggles for a few seconds before his grip weakenes and his body went slack. I pulled out the knife and let his body fall to the floor in the storage room. I salvage a few caps and a canister of jet as I search through his pockets. Afterward I stand back up and was just about to leave when a thought crossed my mind. It doesn't take me a second to rig up the frag mines I got from that the trader I killed, with trip wires. And place the face of the frag mines toward the inside of the room. Limiting the kill range to just whoever was in the room, but tripling the already deadly kill zone of the frag mines. I pull up my pip boy, and search my inventory for the appropriate outfit necessary for my plan. I find an old jumpsuit, dirty and stained with oil and grease and atomize it before switching out and atomizing my trench coat and hat. I reach down and grab dust and dirt, and rub it all over my skin and uniform. It doesn't take long for me to tear and smudge the jump suit to fit my disguise. I step over the trip wire and close the door before walking toward the intercom next to Tasha's body and press the button.

_And now we have Abbadon Mal performing helpless junkie who struck gold. _

"I FUCKING CAUGHT HIM! I CAUGHT THE TRESSPASSER!" I lay down a heavy raider accent and almost immediately I get a reply on the intercom.

"Where are you?" It's not Frost's voice, probably another small fish looking for a shot at the big time.

"BASEMENT LEVEL IN THE STORAGE ROOM, HURRY UP MAN THIS PIECE OF SHIT DOOR WON'T KEEP HIM LOCKED IN FOREVER! HE'S A BIG MOTHERFUCKER. AH SHIT!"

_Now for the final touch. _

I pull up my shotgun and fire, destroying the intercom. Step three complete. I brace myself against the wall and punch myself a few times, drawing blood from my bottom lip and I can already feel my eye swell up. I quickly walk down to the storage room as I can hear screams of triumph coming down the stairs. I lean against the wall just in time as the raider band of ten to round the corner and run toward me.

"He's…in there. Fucker shot me." I point toward the closed door, and collapse on the ground. I assume my acting is enough for them because they quickly jump over my limp form and some step on me.

"Alright boys you heard 'em. The guy's in here might have a gun. But we can take this bitch out and get some caps. Let's do it. Bull, open the door. GO!" I hear shuffling and the sound of a door slamming open. Assortments of weapons are fired and I can imagine Saul's body getting shredded from where I hung him.

"What the fuck? Is that Saul?" I would imagine the smoke hadn't cleared yet and each one of the raiders walks into the room one by one.

"What the fuck are you doing Jam? Don't touch his body." I cover my ears and pull my legs closer to me.

"I ain't leaving him like this. I'm taking him do-"Explosions cut off anything this "Jam" guy would have said.

I pull a rag from my pocket as dust fills the hallways and cover my mouth as I stand up. I walk over to the storage room to make sure everyone died. I look through the door way and take in my handy work. My fears were unfounded. To say everyone was dead was like saying that Death Claws are only mildly dangerous. Limbs are burned and scattered everywhere, blood is caramelized onto the walls, and the smell of burnt meat filled the air.

"Shit! Is anyone still alive down here? I can't see shit Slowmo."

"Well look harder cock sucker." I lean my shotgun against the wall; it would have been useless in close quarters. I pull my .32 pistol into my left hand and pull my combat knife into my right. I cough loudly to draw their attention.

"Slowmo is that you? This guy laid a trap. Everyone's fucking dead. Help me man. I'm dying over here." My grin turns into a frown as I hear more than a few people shifting through the hallways. It's a good thing it's dusty, I may be good but numbers will almost certainly triumph over skills any day. Surprise would be my weapon and I need to move fast and light.

"Go get him, find anyone else still alive and bring them out. We have to regroup and get our shit together if we want to find this asshole and kill him."

I tighten my grip on both my weapons. It was time.

*****Initiating Frost POV*****

"Find the cause of the explosion. I want to know what's happening down there Slowmo. If you don't come back here with the body of this fucking intruder I'll rip your heart from your chest and eat it in front of you. Do I make myself clear?" He gulps and nods his head. Their afraid, always afraid.

"Go." He and his men leave without a word rushing down the stairs and finally I'm left alone.

I don't know what to do. I tuck my head under my arms and struggle not to cry. Nobodies around but I can't take the chance of someone seeing me.

_Tasha's….dead…fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck. How did it all get so fucked up…_

"_**Are you done John?" **_

"No not you again, I don't want to talk to you, Leave me alone." I curl my arms over my head tighter.

"_**I think we have more pressing matters to deal with than some dead and dumb fucking bitch." **_

"She's wasn't some bitch Frost. I was going to take her away from here. We were going to leave this behind and,"

"_**AND THEN WHAT?! FORGET ME?!" **_I can't help but cringe. I'm afraid.

"NO! No, of course I would never forget you Frost. I just wanted to keep her safe. Have family, protect others. Maybe even make up for my sins." I lift my arms and sit up.

"_**HA HA HA HA HA. Good job Johnny boy. I needed a laugh. You and I both know that after what you've done…you can't be redeemed."**_ I can almost feel his presence next to me. My ear is cold.

"_**(whispers) you killed them Johnny boy. Remember?"**_

"No."

"_**You slaughtered them."**_

"No."

"_**Yeeeeeeeeeeeees you did. Heh heh heh. I saw you. I watched as you sucked out your father's eyes and ate them. I watched you rape your mother and torture her. I remember the screams, oh yes the screams, you're a naughty boy John."**_

"That was you! It wasn't me I didn't want that!" I stand up and the chair I'm sitting on slides back and crash into the wall behind me.

"_**WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT WHAT YOU WANT! IF YOU DIDN'T WANT THE LIFE YOU'VED LIVED THEN WHY AM I HERE? I DID NOT CREATE YOU JOHN. YOU CREATED ME. YOU NEEDED ME TO SURVIVE, YOU NEEDED MY STRENGTH." **_

I feel something wash over me. Like a chill that covers every inch of your body.

_**It's time I helped you once again John. **_

"No. I don't want to sleep." I shake my head trying to stay awake.

_**Hush John. Like always I will keep you safe.**_

*****Initiating Abbadon Mal POV*****

"Just fucking die!" I lift the sledge hammer over my shoulder and swing it downward onto Slowmo's head.

I stumble backward and hit the wall and breathe heavily. Finally the fatigue catches up to me and I put the head of the hammer onto the ground and lean against it for support. The dust had finally settled, and I look down the hallway and see all the corpses covered in white dust, like morbid statues posed in death throes.

**Now that's a lot of fucking bodies Mal. I got to say good work too. Sure you ran out of bullets after the fifth raider, lost your knife after the eighteenth one, kill the rest with your bare hands and had to beat someone to death with a shoe, before getting a rib broken by Slowmo's sledge hammer before you took it from him and smashed his chest cavity and head in. He was one tough son of a bitch. I'm proud of you.**

_I'm glad I got you're approval. Now shut up and let me rest. There's got to be like twenty down there. Yeah…twenty, what's that make since I got here? Thirty-four? Shit, still about sixteen more of these fuckers left. Hopefully Slowmo is the only one that will give me more problems. My ribs hurt. He may have only broken one of my ribs but my whole chest feels like it's on fire. _

**Probably some of that comes from the dust too. Pick up your .32 and combat knife and let's get out of here. **

I drop the sledgehammer to the ground, and begin picking my way through the bodies collecting whatever I can, while retrieving my knife which I found; lodge between a raider's ribs, the serrated edge had caught on the bone while I tried to pull it out. Eventually I pulled the knife free and began searching for the .32 pistol which was underneath a body. I quickly reloaded it with the spare ammo I had and holstered it. I scored quite a bit of caps and some chems from the bodies and made sure to atomize it before I finally got to the stair case. I atomize my shot gun and the reassuring weight calmed me down. Finally, something that doesn't require complex maneuvers, just point and shoot. I took a deep breath and started up the stairwell.

*****Initiating Frost POV*****

_John was always soft. He could never protect himself. He was always just a spineless coward. Afraid to take control, afraid of fighting, afraid of doing what needed to be done. But not me, not __**Frost**__, I take care of him whether he wants me to or not. I admit I can be a little…__**Naughty**__...but it's so much fun. Hearing bones snap in half, tasting the iron in their blood, raping, killing and the rush when you shove your fingers into someone's eyes and watch them writhe, and squeal. Good times. But now this stranger is killing my men, destroying my castle, and fucking up my day. He's trained, skilled, and capable. A real challenge. I'll reserve something special for him that is if he survived Slowmo's team. It's been a while; they had him cornered in the basement from the last transmission, time to check up on them._

I lazily sit up from my seat and flick the switch.

"Sloooooooowmo did you manage to fix the problem? Hehehe. Just letting you know that if it's anything other than yes….**I'll fucking kill you**." I lean back into my chair and wait for a response. I sit up as the familiar squelch of another intercom switches to transmit. I could hear someone breathing heavily on the other side.

"Sorry to be the bearer of bad news Frost, but Slowmo and his men are dead. In fact all of the men on the second and first floor are dead, and by my count you only have four guys left." I signal to one of my guards to set up around the library.

"I have no one left. You killed them all. Who are you?" I hear a sigh from the intercom.

"Does it even matter?" _**The insolence of this mother fucker.**_

I look through the doors of the library and my guard signals to me that they are all set up. Two guys man crouch behind sand bags that I had set up and each has a Chinese Assault Rifles. Perpendicular to them are two other men, not so heavily armed but equipped with 10 mm submachine guns. All of them creating a perfect L shaped ambush.

"No. I guess it really doesn't. Listen, your smart, and you know how to handle yourself. Work for me and we can take control of the Wasteland. It doesn't have to end with you dying. I can forgive you for killing Tasha, and Slowmo and whoever else. I don't care. Trading them for you is a good deal. All you have to do is join me." Only static greets my offer for the first few seconds.

"Before the night is over, I promise I'll kill you."

"**YOU LISTEN TO ME YOU LITTLE SHIT! I WILL KILL YOU! I WILL GUT YOU LIKE A FUCKING PIG! I WILL CARVE YOU UP! YOU HEAR ME! I WILL DESTROY YOU! HEHEHEHEHEHEH. And I'll do it slow in front of the mirror. I'll rip off your eyelids so you'll have to watch me as I cut your skin, and pull it off inch by inch. You fucking degenerate. I'll make you eat your balls. **"

After that I hear a gunshot, some static and then nothing. I stand there silently and rage fills my chest.

"FUCK!" I slam my hands on the desk before I sweep off everything with my arms. I don't say any words. Just mindless yelling and screams, it only takes a few minutes but everything is destroyed. I rush into the library and take up my own position.

"Pick up your nuts, and fire at anybody who comes up those steps. Take him alive. I want to take my time with him." I switch off the safety of my assault machine and wait with barely contained glee. I always get hyped when I'm about to kill someone. Out of the shadows a figure appears in the doorway.

"Open fire." The two front raiders' fire almost simultaneously at the knees and the figure falls backward with a scream of pain. I motion for the raider on my right to capture him. He hesitates but that ends when I turn my gun on him with one hand and I pull a grenade from my belt with the other.

"Get over there or I'll frag your ass." He nods in understanding and walks over to the groaning body. He freezes and turns around.

"It's not him."

A bullet tears through his throat. Blood pumps out in long squirts as his heart beats. He falls down without a sound and dies. It gets quiet for a second before my remaining three guards and I fire into the wall. We scream and yell as we empty our clips into the wall. Something cold fills me. It's not dread, it's just plain fear. The fear that makes you sweat, the fear that tells you there's something watching you. The fear that screams in your head you're going to die. I had been born of this. I caused this, but I had never experienced it. Finally our guns run empty and all that remains is heavy breathing and gun smoke. Dust and smoke mix creating an impenetrable screen of swirling gray.

"Think he's alive?"

"Hell no, nothing could survive that."

"You should have reloaded." Fear gripped my gut and I ducked down.

"Who was that?"

"It's that fucking guy. He's still alive!"

"Shit! I'm out. I need a mag…no don't!" I hear a blade clip bone and a short gurgling sound. My two other guards fall to the similar fate, scared out of their minds, shitting their pants and crying.

"Frost, I know you're out there. Don't be a coward." It's that voice. That monotone voice, snaps me out of my fear. I won't die like them.

_I'll this fucker. _

I stood up and point my gun at my attacker and nearly laugh. This guy was short, childlike. He wore some type of jumpsuit stained and dirtied. The only thing in his hand was a straight razor. I couldn't see his face because it was covered by a rag but his hair was cut short. The only thing that made me take him seriously was his hands were covered in blood.

"So you're the guy that's been killing all my men?"

"Yes." He pulled a .32 pistol from his hip holster.

"Listen boy, it's not too late to take up my offer. You can become one of my crew. I don't care that you killed everyone. We can start anew and take this wasteland and rule it together. Don't you see the opportunity I'm giving you?" I place a hand on my grenade belt; he sighs and looks down for a second before retraining his eyes on me.

"You don't understand Frost. I'll tell you what I told your pal. I hate you. I hate you because I know what you are." He points his gun at me and in return I pull the pin on a grenade but hold the releasing mechanism.

"And what would that be boy?"

"You're just another monster." I toss the grenade his way and run up the stairs to the roof.

I feel a pain in my arm and instantly knew that he shot me. I close the door just as I hear explosions. The force bends the metal door out and hits me but thankfully didn't blast off its hinges. I wait in silence, and the sense of dread in my body drains out. But the familiar knot clenches back up in my belly and I reach for the only thing next to me, a sharpened piece of rebar. The door gets kicked open and I throw the rusted piece of metal. I don't expect it to hit but my luck is good and it pierces his right shoulder to the wall. At first he doesn't react but after a few second the pain registers and drops his pistol as he tries with both hands to yank out the rebar.

"Good night bitch." He looks up before I slam a piece of cement into his face.

"Finally, let's see who you really are." I lean down and grab his pip-boy.

_**Three hours ahead**_

"So this is the end."

I gasp harshly, my body jump starting back to life. Immediately I press my hand against the hole in my shoulder, courtesy of the piece of rebar sticking through and presently the only thing holding me up. The pain almost sends me back into the black but I manage to hold on to conciseness. My breathing is irregular and comes in quick and ragged gasps. I shake my head to clear up my vision. I look up and as my vision clears I see Frost sitting on a piece of rubble looking at the moon, his Assault Rifle leaned against him like an affectionate pet.

"You know I had high hopes for us Abbadon. May I call you Abbadon? I saw it on your Pip-Boy, you know you really should put a password on that thing, but back to business. Did you really think that you would walk away from this? Storming my place like a knight in shining armor? Nearly succeeded though, so that's something to take note. I mean sure you killed all of my guys but, I can always find more, and when I do I'll find your friend Amata and I'll cook her still kicking and screaming over a fire pit. Still though, no hard feelings eh bud?" He flicked his cigarette over the edge and watches it fall into darkness.

I watch as he stands up and stretches. He lifts up his assault rifle and cradles it in his arms like a new born babe. I look down at my side and quickly gauge the damage. There's plenty of blood but all in all it's a superficial wound, nothing vital was damaged, still it hurt like hell.

"That's one hell of a wound, should leave one crazy fucking scar, well you know if you live that long." He walks toward me with the sway of a man who knows he won. He stops a few feet away from me and raises his assault rifle at me. I take the time to notice the inside of the barrel needed a good cleaning.

"You know kid you gave me one hell of a scare. I mean you really did. The closest thing to killing me besides my parents, it's a shame that you have to go out like this but, just as a favor for my would-be killer. Any last words?"

"Yeah. I keep my promises. Fuck you!" I brace myself for what's about to happen.

"What the fuck are you doing?! STOP!"

It takes every bit of strength I have to push off the wall and slide my body off the piece of rebar. Frost stands still, shocked that I had managed to stay standing. But he snaps back and pulls the trigger. Still he is half a second late. I push the barrel to the left and Frost's bullets hit the wall behind me. I pull the rifle toward me and push it back hitting Frost in the gut with the stock of the gun and he gasps hard and falls to his knees. I kick up and feel his nose break and he fell back and let go of his gun. I point it toward him and pull the trigger.

_Click._

"Heh. No bullets huh. Looks like the jokes on you Mal." Frost clutches his broken nose with both hands and spat out some blood. I tossed the rifle down and pick up my shotgun that I had dropped when Frost had speared me.

"I guess you're right Frost. Jokes on me but, I got the last laugh now don't I?" I advance on him.

"Wait Mal, we can still work this out. You don't have to kill me. We can make a deal." He crawled backward and only stopped at the edge of what remained of the roof.

"You people don't get it. There is no bargaining, and I have no mercy for you. You're evil Frost. There isn't a thing about you that deserves to live." I place the tip of the barrel on top of Frosts forehead.

"That's where you're wrong! John, he deserves to live." He pushed the barrel up but I stomped on his chest.

"What the fuck are you talking about?"

"I protect John. (Gasp) I do everything. John is just the weak one."

"You're talking about a split personality…bring him out." The change was instantaneous, Frost's face changed from one of hate to, one of confusion and pain.

"What..what the fuck? Who the hell are you?!" He struggles more before I kick his ribs.

"Shut up. You John?"

"Yeah."

"Do you know Frost?"

"Shut up! Don't speak its name…it comes back if you do."

"So this split personality is real?" I take my foot off his chest but keep the shot gun leveled on him.

"Yes." He curled into a ball.

"I tried to get away…so many times. But it always comes back. Always whispers to me. It's so cold. I tried to save Tasha. But, he would have killed her anyway. If anything you gave her a quick death. It doesn't want me to make friends. I don't want to die. I can stop him. For once in my life I can stop him. Please give me that chance." He desperately tries to ward me off.

"I can't take that chance." I pull the trigger and the buck shots tear his face apart, he gasps once and falls back for the last time. I pulled my .32 out and fired three rounds into his chest, hitting his lungs and heart, his body jerking each time a bullet hit him.

**Better safe than sorry.**

I pulled the pins of the two grenades on his belt and pushed his body off the roof. Two mini suns explode in the dark and abruptly end. The darkness sank back in, taking its rightful place. I look up and stare at the sky.

_When did the world get so dark?_

I don't know what happen next. My body felt so tired. I stumbled back and sat down on a pile of roof tiles. The only thing that lights up my surroundings is a barrel with pieces of wooden chair legs on fire. Staying prepared I put my shotgun down and pulled my pistol onto my lap. With that done I brought my Pip-Boy up to my face and turned it on. I painfully use my right arm and atomize my shirt and trench coat before I click a doctor's bag and atomize it. Gently I open it and pull out Alcohol. I take off my belt and bite down before pouring alcohol over the wound making sure it flows through the wound. I can't help but let out a low groan. After I feel some liquid run down my back, I stop pouring and cap the bottle before dropping it. My eyes sting from the sweat.

Next I grab a packet of WoundSeal, a cauterizing powder that was developed back when laser weapons where a dream and medics needed something to stop a soldier from bleeding out from gunfire. The greatest thing about WoundSeal was that it created a scab instantly and prevented further bleeding and bacteria from getting in. It would do until I could put in proper sutures. I rip open the packet with my teeth and pour the powder over the front side of the wound and back. I don't bother conserving it because it was moisture sensitive and would be useless in a few hours anyway. My wound constricts painfully but I sighed in relief as I pressed my wound and find no leaks. I pull out a syringe and prepare for a tetanus shot. I feel my unease leave as I fill the lifesaving liquid fill my veins. I don't inject med-x. Every use of medical supplies lowered the amount of days I had in the Wasteland. I quickly put away the doctor's bag and atomize a clean shirt.

"Finally." I somehow find the strength to stand with the help of the wall. I pull my shotgun from its resting place and rest the strap on my uninjured shoulder. I move to holster my pistol but I decide against it. I settle for just holding it. It never hurt to be prepared.

I walk cautiously back into the confines of the raider, well ex-raider base. I'm just about to walk down the half destroyed stair case when I hear a small beep. I look left just in time to hear a blast and I feel myself hit the wall.

"Now you're gonna die you little bitch." I look up to find a raider walking toward me.

He must have been out on recon or something because he didn't have a scratch on him and I had swept the building room by room. He raised his 10mm again at me and pulled the trigger. A familiar chink of a gun jam was all I needed. Most of my kills have finesse and I would like to think some artistic personality. But for this one all I had was rage. I rush forward and put my hands around his throat and lift him up. I let out a primal roar as I throw him into the elevator. He let out a cry of pain and I hear something snap. I walk forward purposely before grabbing his head and slamming it into the wall. All I can feel is rage as I stomp on his knee at an oblique angle destroying the joint and causing him to fall.

"YOU THINK YOU CAN KILL ME!" I stomped on his head and for some reason despite the fact that I snapped his neck on the first kick I kept stomping. I could feel pieces of brain matter hit my face. Finally after what felt like forever the blood rage stopped and all that remained of the raiders head was akin to red paste. It was only then that I notice a severe pain in my hip and warm blood flowing down my leg.

"Damn it…" An annoying buzzing sound permeated the air and I looked down to see the elevator door hitting the foot of the dead raider.

I promptly kicked his leg and allowed the doors to close. I hit the G button and feel the elevator move. I take off my belt once again and make a tourniquet. It doesn't take long for the elevator to reach the ground floor. And for the first time in two minutes I'm glad this asshole came up in an elevator. Although if he hadn't I probably wouldn't have this bullet in my hip. It's not an accident when I kick the body as I stepped out of the elevator. I sigh because I know it's a long walk to Megaton. I limp toward the exit conveniently close.

_Score one for Pre-War engineering._

I push the doors open just in time for the first rays of light to hit my eyes blinding me instantly.

"AH! I can never catch a break."

**Shut up and start walking. It's a long walk to Megaton. **

_Don't I know it. _

I atomize a pair of sunglasses into my hand and I quickly place them over my eyes and begin limping toward the metal walls surrounding Megaton.

_**An hour and a half later**_

_In the holotapes the hero always staggers home. Bullet wound in his side, bruised face, the girl at his side helping him stand up. But, you know that's not life. Life kicks you down, pulls you to the curb, places your teeth on the edge and stomps down on your head. And I can't help but curse the idiots who launched those nukes 200 years ago. I could have been a doctor. _

I kick down and smash a giant ant's head into the aged asphalt. The walls of Megaton stand just a few hundred feet away and the sun takes the opportunity to glance off a particularly shiny part of the wall and hits me in the eyes. I lean down and pick up my sun glasses and place them on my nose. It took me the better part of the morning to get out of Springville. This is great considering a large amount of blood is not in my body anymore, bringing me to a dilemma. Hiking over the rocks would cause serious pain and increase my loss of blood however, I would get there faster. But hiking is safer but it would take too long and I'd still be dead. Hiking it is.

"Ah shit..." I sigh as three giant ants crawl out from beneath the rocks. They were probably drawn out by the pheromones of the dead ant.

I pulled my shotgun from my shoulder and quickly fired three rounds into each giant ant sending them flying a few feet. I quickly holster my shotgun before jogging/limping toward the rocks. I manage to get to the top before more ants crawled out of their holes. It doesn't take long to trek the last hundred feet over the rocks and a fallen power tower. However, the exertion, fatigue, and blood loss was piling up faster and harder, my vision was turning grey and I'm trying to lean harder on my good leg. I quickly look for a way down and am met with quick disappointment. It's a sheer 10 foot drop. Either I try my luck hiking or jump off. I hear a click and look down just in time for a small worker ant to clamp down on my ankle and drag me off the edge.

"FUCK!" I use what momentum I have to roll when I land but I knew my right arm was dislocated. A flash of white appears in my vision when I stop rolling.

"Son of a bitch…" My vision finally cleared just in time as I heard a click and see a giant warrior ant staring down at me.

Without hesitation it lunged it's pincers at me and not for the first time am I glad I'm wearing gloves. I grabbed its pincer with my left hand and somehow manage to keep the ant from tearing my body apart.

**Its joints are weak. Go for the neck. **

_I can't!_

**Twist.**

I followed the advice and twist the pincer in a clock wise direction making the ant's head twist and quickly break its neck. The ant lets out a pained squeak before its body collapsed on unsupportive legs. I pant heavily from the pain and the exhaustion before flipping over onto my stomach sending a jolt of pain throughout my body. I look up and see I'm barely 50 feet away from the entrance of Megaton. I could see an old securitron with a cowboy hat and a body lying a few feet away from the gate. I push myself up to my feet ignoring the protest my body sends me and start limping to Megaton. It's twenty feet away when I hear a shot and fall down face first.

"Welcome. To Mega-ton. Please enjoy your stay."

_Fucking robots._

My vision goes dark but I hear a roar and screeching for a few seconds. I can feel the vibrations in the ground and hear footsteps rushing toward me. A body lands close to me and pulls me close and on my back.

"ABBADON!" I can barely open my eyes and I'm surprised to see Amata above me.

"You know getting shot isn't funny the second time." I chuckle but start coughing, I taste blood which is never a good sign.

"Shut up you idiot. Guys help me. We have to get him to the Doc." I feel hands grab at me and lift me up before I black out. The rest comes at me in bits and pieces.

"DOC WE GOT A BLEEDER!"

"I can't help him, I don't have the equipment."

"There's plenty in his Pip-Boy what do you need?"

"He's waking up! Hold him still. Hold him still!"

"Suction, good, scalpel, whoops almost nicked an artery."

"I stopped the bleeding and pulled out the bullet fragments. Now let's sew up the hole in his shoulder."

"That should do it. What was this guy's name again?"

"Abbadon Mal and here are the caps."

"Abbadon Mal, huh, you are one lucky guy Abbadon."

"Abbadon?" My eyes shot open as my left hand wrapped around someone's throat.

"Who are you?" I look at the man caught in my hand. African American he looked to be somewhere upward of 50.

"The Doc." I quickly let go and lay back down.

"Sorry Doc. I just got spooked." He coughs to clear his throat.

"That's alright. At least we can say that you're healthy enough to kill an old man." He chuckles a bit at his joke and brings up a chart.

"How long have I been out?" I close my eyes hiding it from the harsh light of a lamp a few feet away.

"Three days. When you came in, it looked like you went through hell and back. Shot twice, once in the hip and the other through your chest, a hole through your shoulder the size of a quarter and a serious concussion from a fall if I am led to believe is accurate. Am I correct and do you remember any of this happening?" He looked at me expectantly.

A rush of memories flash back, a piece of rebar pushed through me, the pain, getting shot and then a roar as I stomped on a raiders head, killing a few giant ants, and finally a final gun shot and pain as the dark rushed in.

"Yeah unfortunately I do." I flex my muscles evaluating my current condition.

"Well that's good, glad to see that bump to the head didn't rattle your brain too much." He looked down at the chart again.

"Mal!" The doc and I looked toward the door and saw Amata. She still wore the vault security armor and had the 10mm pistol at her side. She rushed toward me and hugged me close causing severe distress on my injuries.

"AH! My arm!"

"AH! I'm sorry Mal." She released me quickly and I fell back onto the bed.

"You were supposed to wake up after the surgery but infection kicked in. Although it shouldn't have been a surprised you were filthy. Why weren't you wearing your trench coat? Stockholm wouldn't have shot you if you had been wearing it."

"Stockholm? I guess I know who I'm punching first." I laughed a little before Amata slapped my arm.

"Stockholm was just doing his job." She glared at me.

"Fine, although it sounds like you have a crush on him." She hit me again before looking down.

"You idiot, you know who matters most in my life." I lightly grab her hand.

"I know." I rub my thumb slowly against her hand.

"(Cough) Excuse me Miss. I still need to make sure the patient is fine." The Doc looked expectently and Amata had the decency to blush.

"Sorry Doc. I'll go now. I'll see you soon Mal. Be good okay? The Doc doesn't need your crap." She smiled and I noticed the angry red wound had died down to a thin pale scar leaving a slightly jagged T on her cheek.

"What are you talking about? Everyone loves my crap." I smiled and let go of her hand and watched her walk out leaving me and the doctor together. It was only when she closed the door did he look back at me.

"You're a killer, aren't you boy?" His tanned faced already marred by years in the wasteland held a serious tone and I could see in his eyes the intent to kill me if I proved to be a threat.

"Yes sir. But, I'm sure you've done your fair share of killing as well." I looked him in the eyes and watched as they crinkled in amusement and saw him sigh a long weary sigh as he sat down.

"I suppose I have. You're a good sort kid. When you've lived as long as I have you get to tell who a man is." He opened a dresser in a desk nearby and took out a tall bottle of vodka and two shot glasses.

"Heh. What makes you so sure your right? For all you know I'm a psycho in disguise." I reached for a shot glass and quickly down the strong alcohol. I try not to let it touch my tongue.

"Well for one, your hands aren't shaking." The Doc tosses back his own shot and pours both of us another round.

"Good check for cannibalism. Anything else?" I look at the clear liquid before grimacing and gulping it down.

"You're eyes are alive with a sense of purpose. Not the grim determination a person has to survive like most, or the eyes of the raiders. Nah, you're different. You got the eyes of change and you're willing to make it happen yourself. It's a good trait, dangerous but good. Not to say you're fucking Santa Claus, like we established, you're a killer and from the things you said while you were out of it, you're good at it." He drank once again and capped the bottle.

"I said something about the school?" I hand back the shot glass and lay back on the bed.

"Yeah, said you killed all the raiders in Springville elementary. Stockholm checked it out with Jericho. I got to say boy, you lay down one hell of a beating if what they say is true. Fifty something dead raiders, I haven't heard of a killing of that magnitude of raiders since the regulators attacked Evergreen Mills." He leaned back in his chair and his eyes glazed over in memories.

"I'm guessing good times." I lifted the blanket off and with some effort managed to swing my legs off the bed and sit up.

"Yeah, really good memories, but that's in the past." He picked up the chart and checked something off.

"Am I good to go?" I stand up cautiously and fight back a sense of vertigo. I pull up my Pip-Boy and selected my usual black T-shirt, jeans, and combat boots and fortified trench coat.

"Yeah you're good. Also as a rule we don't let people walk around with two handed weapons. If you want keep a pistol on you. But, that's it." He stands up and puts his hand out.

"Thanks. I'll keep that in mind." I select my .32 and holster it in my coat and shake his hand.

"You're a good man Mal." The Doc let go of my hand and walked me over to the door before opening it. The sun light almost blinded me and I covered my eyes with my hand.

"You're not so bad yourself. I'll see you soon."

"Have that little faith in my ability to keep holes from appearing on my person." I chuckled a little.

"You're track record isn't that good." He pushed me out the door and shut it firmly behind me.

"Ah if it isn't the good 'ol boy of James."

"Moriarty."

**Sorry guys. I know this chapter took forever. But, I've been busy with life, love, and work. It's how it is. I hope you guys liked this chapter. Have a good one. Give me a review please. I don't mind if it's positive or negative. Both are good. **


	4. This aint no place for no hero

This ain't no place for no hero

**Disclaimer: I don't own fallout or any material I pull information from.**

"Talking"

_Thoughts_

**Beast**

*****Beginning Transmission*****

Name: Colin Moriarty

Weapons: 10mm Pistol

Apparel: Merc Cruiser Outfit

Strength: 5

Perception: 5

Endurance: 4

Charisma: 7

Intelligence: 5

Agility: 5

Luck: 5

Perks: Scoundrel, Fortune Finder, Night Person, Chem Resistance

*****Downloading Log Entry*****

_A Collection of Megaton History by Collin Moriarty_

When the bombs fell a plane carrying 250 souls went down outside of D.C. Thanks to the flying of Cpt. Samuel Moriarty the plane successful preformed a crash landing with minimum loss of life and damage to the plane. After the landing the remaining passengers and crew held up in the nearby ruins of Springville with the surviving inhabitants who agreed to shelter them. Each house housed at least fifty people. Despite the harshness of the new found world, both parties lived and thrived. The wind blew the fallout away from Springville. However, it wasn't long before raiders came into town. They were led by a man named Regis. Regis convinced the inhabitants that he and his men would protect them for a fee. At first this shaky truce was beneficial. The people scoured the surrounding area and the raiders protected them. But once again things got worse. The raiders became crueler, meaner, and destructive. Eventually the rape of Samuel Moriarty's daughter became the last straw. The inhabitants attacked the raiders and all shreds of the old world vanished from the survivors. However, the battle was not won without casualties. Ten survivors were killed and Samuel Moriarty was injured. The houses were burned and so a meeting was held. The survivors decided that they needed to move to a safer location. And that was when they founded Megaton. An undetonated bomb that should have blown up in a massive hole but didn't. Under his command the collective survivors dismantled the plane and erected the walls and later the water purifier. Samuel Moriarty died from lead poisoning after the last wall had been placed. His daughter would raise her son on her own. Eventually opening a small bar/diner, this would be passed down to her son Jacob Moriarty. By this time traders would come periodically but never consistently. Jacob organized trade routes with traders, invested in them and bought and sold on credit. Slowly he accumulated a small fortune. Jacob died during a raider attack leaving young Collin Moriarty with this father's wealth and bar. Inheriting his father's gift for numbers and a silver tongue he grew to be a tough but fair man. He allowed a young regulator named Lucas Simms to enter the gates and grew to trust the man and eventually made him sheriff/mayor of Megaton. To this day they share power, Lucas providing a safe atmosphere and Collin supplied the funding for wall maintenance, weapons, ammo and food. Both crucial in the new world, as time passed the walls were extended and made room for others such as, Robert Brown and his daughter Moira Brown, the Stahl family, and much more….9283o_sadjad;ousjck

*****Data Corrupted Shut Down Sequence Initiated*****

I turned around and saw a thin old man leaning against the railing of the walkway. My father had told me about Collin Moriarty and he matched the description perfectly. He wore an old merc cruiser outfit, sported a white waste land haircut and beard, and green eyes. His arms were crossed and held firmly against his chest and a condescending smirk hung from his lips.

"I was hoping to see you soon. Of course didn't expect ya to be pumped full of holes and dying. Not a good start boy." Collin chuckled a bit before hitting my shoulder.

"Yeah well wasteland life is tough. Wiping out a raider base by myself is hard work." I hit his shoulder back.

"That's cause your stupid. Should have hired someone else boy. Now if you're not too sore walk with me. We have some business together and some things to straighten out." He turned without looking to see if I was following.

I could see it wasn't much of an offer as it was an order. I shrugged and walked next to him. We walked past the Brahmin pit and up toward the gate. A steep climb next to a pipeline spitting out water periodically, had made the dirt into mud and made the going even harder on me. By the time we had gotten to the top I was out of breath and tiring out. I remembered I had just lost 3 pints of blood. Not a good amount. We kept walking until we reached the front of the water purifier house. I leaned against the wall trying to catch my breath.

"Ah! Tired from a wee walk?"

"No sir. Just enjoying the air." I smirk as my breathing slows.

"Bullet wound or not you're your father's son." Moriarty replied.

"Are we going to do business or not?" I finally stand up straight mindful of the stitches holding my flesh together.

"Let's talk about Silver."

"Lets, I assume everything is square. The pack Brahmin by itself is more than four hundred caps." I mention smoothly.

"Don't try to con me Abaddon. That Brahmin is half lame. I only took off half the debt for it. Can't fool me Mal, I'm the ultimate hustler around these parts." Moriarty grinned like a cat that had just caught a mouse.

"Damn. Well a man has to try. Well anything else I assume Silver and Amata traded at the Crater Side Supply paid off the rest of the debt. How's old man brown?" I shrugged and looked toward the building just down the walkway to my right.

"The girls got just enough to pay off the debt. So everything between Silver and I is square. She is a free woman. Brown though is dead. His daughter took over just recently. Moira Brown is her name. She's a fine young lady if just a wee bit off." Moriarty shook his head and crossed his arms.

"Off? What do you mean?" I turned my attention back to Moriarty.

"She's a self-proclaimed scientist. A little spacy though and dangerous, still though a good addition to Megaton. She's also quite a looker. I've tried to get her to take over some nights from Nova over at the Saloon but she threatened to blow me up with a fission battery and some gum. So I gave up on that. Lately she's been hiring "employees" to help with her with her book." Moriarty chuckled a bit.

"Ha. Good for her. I guess I need to meet my new employer after this. But that's not polite. What else do we need to talk about Moriarty?" I yawned slightly and raised my hand over my eyes.

"That's a good boy. I need your help getting rid of someone in the saloon." Moriarty's face turned grim.

"Really old man? You want me to be a bouncer and toss someone out of your bar?" I feel annoyance creep onto my face.

"Shut up boy. Normally I would take care of any trouble makers but this one's different."

"How so?" I couldn't help but let the tone of a jibe lace between my words

"I'd tell you if you didn't interrupt me junior. Listen, a few days ago a stranger rolled into town. A tall, white man, dirty blonde, wearing a dress suit and a hat. He's odd, out-of-place odd, and it feels like he stepped out of the old world." Moriarty pulled out a cigarette and a lighter.

"You thinking vault?" I feel my eye brow rise a bit despite my best efforts.

"Yeah. Someone else crawl out with you besides the girl and your dad?" After flicking the lighter a few times unsuccessfully he gave up and put the lighter back in his pocket but kept the cigarette in his mouth.

"Nah. No one else. I closed the vault myself. I'll check him out Moriarty. You have my word." I pulled an old zippo lighter from a pocket in my trench coat and turned the flintwheel sending up a flame.

"And a Mal's word is law. Isn't that how it goes?" Moriarty smirked and leaned forward as he took a breath taking in the deadly smoke.

"You got it. It's a favor for a man that saved my life back when I was a wee babe."

"And don't you forget my generosity." With that Moriarty walked away and whistled a soft tune.

"Fuck. Looks like I got myself another mess." I put the zippo lighter back in my pocket and looked to the right where Crater Supply was.

I took a step forward just in time to get a door slammed into my face.

"SON OF A BITCH!" I grasped my nose and felt the warm sensation of blood rush through my nostrils.

"Ah. Sorry there son. I wasn't thinking there was no one next to my door." I felt a hand steady me.

I looked up to see a wrinkled tanned face, weathered by time and a harsh life, smile back at me.

"Names Walter. Sorry for smashing your face in. Didn't mean nothing by it new comer." He handed me a rag which I declined.

"It's okay Walter. Don't worry about it. Just a little blood is all not that I had much to begin with I suppose. Walter…you're the guy that keeps this place running. Well at least the water pumping."

"Guilty as charged young blood. Although the old gal ain't what she used to be." Walter hit the side of the shed the door originated from.

"I bet. She's an old piece of work. Anything I can do to help?" I feel my nose dry and I wipe away the excess blood off my face.

"Yeah actually, are you any good with pipes? The damn things are so rusted through there are leaks. Any chance you can repair them?" Walter crossed his arms across his chest.

"Seems easy enough. No water; no city." I put out my hand and Walter shakes it.

"Thanks son. I would do it myself but someone has to monitor the gauges." Walter side stepped me and walked past.

I looked around cautiously searching for more doors before I started walking to Crater Supply once more. I dodged a few kids running around with a ball before I walked down a ramp leading to the store. Carefully I turn the knob and push the door open revealing a dim lit room with numerous scorch marks the smell of sulfur but, no one to be found.

"Hello?" I stepped through the door and take a look toward the counter.

"Huh. No one here." I scratch the back of my head deciding whether to wait.

"Oh course there's someone here silly!" A cheerful voice proclaimed as the door behind me slammed shut.

Immediately I tumbled forward as I pulled out the .32 and twisted around aiming to the figure at the door. Just in time to get tackled against the counter from the side, my .32 slipped from my hand. Immediately I throw an elbow down catching someone on the side of the face. The person I hit rolls away and stands back up in a fighting stance. I catch my breath before I take one of my own. The man is taller than me and strapped in leather armor any other details are lost in the dim lighting. I'm just about to make my first move when I feel the barrel of a familiar .32 pressed against the back of my head.

"Calm down sweetie before I have to pull this trigger and splatter your brains all over the floor." The tone was sweet but I could hear the threat loud and clear. I put my hands up and turn around.

"That's a good boy I didn't really want to kill you. Name's Moira Brown." The figure behind the counter turned on a lamp and revealed a red headed woman in a RobCo jumpsuit.

I can see why Moriarty wanted her to work in the bar a few nights. She was a beauty. Lightly tanned skin, red hair tied in a bun, green eyes that sparkled slightly in the lamp light, and even though her body was covered by the jumpsuit it was easy to tell she had one hell of a figure. She was taller than me too and that caused me to sigh.

"Damn why do the hot and deadly ones have to be taller than me?" I feel my arms get pulled behind my back and hand cuffed.

"Flattery doesn't charge this fission battery sir. Now may I ask who you are?" Moira raises an eye brow and I hear a man behind me pull up a chair and force me down in it.

"Abaddon Mal former resident of Vault 101."

"Ah the stray from the vault, I heard about you from Amata. She said not to be surprised if you caused trouble. You can let him go Cy." Moira smiled as she flipped the .32 holding the handle toward me.

I feel Cy pull off the cuffs before I grab the .32 and holster it within my coat.

"Sorry about the trouble ma'am. Just spooked me is all." I straighten up my clothes and begin to relax in the chair.

"It's okay. New comers always have the jitters when they come here. What can I do for you Mal? Trade, resupply, or repair?" She leaned on her elbows on the counter and looked at me with a bored expression on her face.

"Well I was kind of hoping to see if you have any jobs for me to do. I heard you were writing some type of book and need research assistants." I smiled a bit as her bored looked twisted to one of excitement and delight.

"Ah! Yes! You're hired." She smiled at me and put out her hand.

"Really? Just like that?" I shook her hand to seal the deal.

"Of course my last five assistants died on me so the book's progress has stalled. Which reminds me I already asked Amata, but I would like your opinion. What was it like living in the vault?" She smiled again as she pulled out a tiny notebook.

_This chick is crazy but, I like crazy. _

"Sure. The vault was a safe haven. Clean air, no radiation, and everyone could sleep at night. Safe as safe can be in this world. However, no matter how appealing that is, unless the Overseer, the vault leader, lets you in anyone trying to force their way into the vault hast to deal with five feet of steel, automated turrets, and not to mention a defense force of at least a thousand people. So trying to use force is the dumbest mistake anyone can do. Also the food sucks." I smiled as she wrote what I said down, the tip of her pink tongue slowly moved across her lower lip.

I cleared my throat before I selected a purified bottle of water from my pipboy and clicked confirm. With a small flash of light a bottle of water appeared in my hands and I quickly uncapped it and took a swig.

"You know that flash of light is very distracting. Alarmingly so, have you ever considered eliminating the flash?" Moira put her notebook down and stared at my pipboy.

"I've thought about it but unfortunately the amount of power needed to convert objects into atoms and thus add weight to my own is too immense to eliminate the flash. I'm just lucky the nuclear reactor in this bad boy doesn't rearrange my molecules and kill me or worse." I raised my arm toward her and she lightly grabbed my arm and pulled it closer to the light.

"It's possible to reroute the spare power into a spare fission battery or an alternative storage unit. It could possibly eliminate the flash." She lightly tapped the pipboy with her pencil as I sighed.

"I thought about that but the power would definitely overwhelm the battery and I can't think of anything that could store that much energy without exploding." I stood up and moved closer to the counter.

"Hmmm…this is a toughie. But, that's what science is for! That and old world schematics!" Moira jumped up and rustled around in an old umbrella stand.

"Schematics? Of batteries?" I leaned over the counter trying to see what she was grabbing at.

"AHA! I found you!" She lifted up a small cardboard tube and turned toward me while opening the tube. With a quick motion she pulled out a blue and white piece of paper and laid it in front of me.

"So what is this?" I quickly began to pour over it but I couldn't make heads or tails of it although I could see it had to do with an attachment to a pipboy.

"From what I can gather it's stolen tech from Robco. With the help of Cy, I've been able to translate the characters into English. This, my new research assistant is a schematic for a pipboy energy unit." She smiled triumphantly as she organized her notes and held it out to me

"So you're telling me that this attachment will be able to store the excess energy? What will happen if too much is stored up and it reaches critical capacity?" I took the notes began leafing through them.

"Geez, your dad said you were somewhat of a genius but I'm not seeing it. Look at the schematics. The attachment, if it works, will store the energy and then convert it into physical force whenever, the user presses the activation button. It was meant as an anti-riot device for the overseer, and guards. At least that's what I learned when I sent my last research assistant to Vault-tec headquarters. He died shortly after coming back. This list should have everything you need to make one or two. No one else I know has a pipboy besides you and Amata." Moira took out a scrap piece of paper and handed it to me.

"Thanks. What do you want for this?" I stuffed the note into my pocket I could look at it later.

"Nothing. My father told me the plan on his deathbed. This will increase your survival by two percent." Moira stated in a matter-of-fact tone before she rolled the schematic back up and placed it into the cardboard container.

"Alright. So now that we got that out of the way what is my first mission for the book?" I pulled the chair closer and sat down.

"You have a pick of three options. I need to test the effects of radiation poisoning, places to find food and medicine, and finally, and this is the fun one, reach the center of a minefield." She finished the last one with a smile.

"Alright…how about I tackle the radiation problem, there's a nuke submerged in water outside. Should be the easiest thing I guess just got to be careful. Do you have any radaway?" I looked through my pipboy searching for some in my inventory.

"Yeah, of course I do. I wouldn't put my soon to be favorite research subject in any danger. However, if you could get extensive radiation poisoning I could give you a little something extra." Something in this smiled seemed a little more cunning, sadistic, and deadly.

"Let's see how the evening goes. I have something's from the raider base that I'd like to trade." I smiled back trying not to convey the uneasiness I was feeling.

"Sure let's see what you have." This time she didn't smile.

**Ten Minutes Later**

I sighed as I stepped out of Craterside Supply. Moira was as smart as she was devious. After intense haggling and low balling I managed to sell most of the loot from Springville Elementary for some ammo, and meds as well as some tools. I lightly feel a cool breeze blow over the town and realize that it's almost nightfall. I looked to right and saw Moirarty's Saloon sign glow slightly above a rusted door.

_Might as well fulfill Moirarty's request. _

**Why not? I'm bored as hell. Watching you flirt with Moira and failing was only fun for the first ten seconds. **

_Shut up._

It doesn't take me long to spot Moirarty's Saloon and begin walking toward it. It's not five steps away from the door that I get hit by the pungent odors of sweat, sour beer, sex, and cigarettes and the sounds of laughter and yelling.

**Mal I think you should get the "experiment" out. In case Burk get's rowdy it's better safe than sorry. **

_Of course. _

I check my pip-boy and select a little project I've been testing out. A hidden blade attached to a modern bracer. The blade would sheathe or unsheathe itself depending on specific motions of my wrist. I quickly select it and with a small flash hold the project in my hand. With ease I attach it onto my forearm under my sleeve.

"Time to cause some trouble." I say to no one in particular. I lightly push open the door and step into the cloudy bar.

**This place fucking sucks.**

_I second that._

Three people inhabit the stools at the bar and talk about old times while sipping cheap whiskey and smoking some cigarettes. To the left I see a woman in a tight outfit guide a drunk up the stairs. A raspy voice captures my attention.

"Hey Smoothskin! Over here." Behind the bar I see a Ghoul waving at me. With nothing better to do I walk carefully over to him.

"Moirarty told me if I saw a shrimp with a black trench coat I was to point him to the problem." The ghoul's face may have been rotten and in tatters but, his eyes were alight with intelligence.

"Yeah that'd be me. Where's Burke?" I looked around only seeing a closed door to my right and a blonde girl behind me.

"Mr. Burke is in the room with the closed door. He wanted privacy unless someone "Intelligent enough to qualify for human" walks in, what a fucking asshole. Anyway here's the key, get this guy out of here. He's no good for this place anyway. Offsets the customers, oh by the way my names Gob." Gob held out his hand and I lightly shook it.

"I'll get this done." I grabbed the key and turned toward the door.

I quickly unlock it revealing the man called Burke. Garbed in a white suit and fedora with sunglasses, Burke was as out of place as Moirarty claimed he was. In his hands was a small opened book. With a snap he closed it and looked up and although his eyes were hidden behind dark sunglasses I felt them appraise me. With a smile he motioned toward a seat across from him.

"You do not have the look of one of a degenerate." He said briskly with a smile.

**Careful Mal. Something's off with this man.**

"I suppose I don't Mr….I'm sorry I never got your name". I shrugged apologetically as I sat across from him.

"Ah yes I suppose in my excitement I forgot to properly introduce myself. I am Mr. Burke. " He took off his hat revealing light blonde hair.

"It is a pleasure to meet you Mr. Burke. I am Abaddon Mal." I nod my head slightly.

"Destruction Bad? How adequate. Well Mr. Mal I have a proposition for you." Burke placed the hat upon his head once more.

"Interesting, and what might a man of your caliber have for me?" I asked genuinely curious.

"I have a job that needs doing and unfortunately I cannot leave here until it is done. You see I work for a powerful man, and like most powerful men he has gotten bored. He has decided that he wants fireworks and the biggest firework happens to be here." Burke smiled lightly as if talking about the weather.

**Fucking psychopath.**

_What does that make us?_

"I'm guessing you're talking about the bomb and I'm also guessing that you want to set it off." I keep my tone neutral as my wrist flex. I am glad I oiled it up before I left the vault, the blades tip slowly emerged from its sheath without a noise.

"Very astute, indeed you are correct. If you want to take the job, I have in my possession a pulse charge. Once you attach this to the bomb set the timer, get to a safe distance, and watch as the charge set's off the bomb. Before you decide on anything let me inform you that I will pay top caps, as it were, for the completion of this job." He finished with a smile and tossed a medium sized back onto the table before us.

"What if I decide not to take the job?" Slowly I lean forward while feigning interests in the bag.

"Well that would be unfortunate. I would only ask that you would be quiet about this and pretend this conversation never happened. If you do talk and warn anyone I will make sure you will be hunted for all your days until you die." He lazily lifted a cup of water to his lips and took a sip before setting it down.

"Then I have no choice." I smile as I extend my hand out.

"It seems we have a deal then Mr. Mal." He smiled back and grasped my hand with a firm grip.

"Who are you?!" Burke's eyes turned guarded and now his hand squeezed mine with extreme force.

**No need to be quite anymore.**

I smiled lightly with just a small dose of insanity.

*****Outside (Gob's view)*****

Gob lightly polished a glass as he looked at the radio which pushed static through its speakers as if mocking the poor ghoul. As he looked around the saloon he quietly thought to himself.

_It's a regular night at Moirarty's Saloon. Everyone seems to be getting along and not bar fight has opened. If only this fucking radio would work. Then the atmosphere would be just perfect. Well at least besides the usual drunks and loud mouths. Not to mention Jericho. It's good he's stuck on guard duty. I can't listen to another story about all the ghoul fuckers he's wasted. At the very least Lucy, is here and I have something pretty to look at. _

"Who are you?!" Someone yelled through the closed doors.

"Ah shit!" I exclaimed as the door busted off its hinges and the man called Burke fell with the door on the ground and slid a few feet.

The shrimpy smooth skin looked a little worse for the wear. A black eye was already forming on his face. Burke stood up and he too had taken some damaged. A bloody lip and broken sunglasses adorned his face. A black boot print was on the front of his dress shirt. The shrimpy smooth skin gave me a look and I sighed.

"Everybody out!" I yelled which broke everyone out of their stupor causing all the patrons to run out of the front door. Carefully I walked to the door with my hands up and closed it shut behind me.

"Moirarty is going to kill me."

*****Inside (Mal's perspective)*****

"Now it's just you and me." I said and fully extended my hidden blade before turning it with my fingers and hold it in a classic knife fighting guard. Burke frowned.

"So it is." Burke replied as he took out a combat knife and fell into his own fighting stance.

**You'll have to be quick and follow through with strength. He has a longer reach than you and he's taller.**

_I know that already._

With a deep breath I rush forward and feint for his knife hand, he quickly withdraws but not before I change the direction of my thrust and cut right leg. I bounce back just enough to dodge the swipe at my throat. I lean forward and grab his knife hand with my opposite hand. To my surprise Burke grabs my knife arm with his own opposite and we are both stuck arms crossed each other in a lethal knot. We struggle but I can feel my strength waning and apparently Burke notices too.

"Feeling a little weak Mr. Mal?" He sneers showing his teeth.

"Hardly." I take advantage of him his momentum and twist pulling him toward me and pivoting my hips.

With a quick jerk I toss him over my hip and onto the harsh metal grate that serves as a floor. During the maneuver however, my blade detaches from the bracer before landing on the bar counter, while his blade is thrown farther and lands somewhere behind the counter. With a roar Burke gets to his feet and bum rushes me. His shoulder hits my solar plexus as he lifts me up and throws me on the counter. I find it hard to breath but I manage to hit his forearm with my own forming and reinforce it with my other arm making a T. My knife is barely an inch away from my chest.

"Just die you fucking maggot." Burke used his weight and forces the knife to continue its descent.

Something shiny catches my eye to my right and I make a split second decision. I quickly turn and the knife goes easily into my left shoulder. With my right hand I slap Burke's left ear causing him to howl in pain loosening his grip on the knife. I reach to the right and grab a broken scotch bottle and stabbed him in the ribs with the jagged bottom. I quickly get my legs between us and him and kick him off onto the table behind him where the blonde was sitting. I gently grabbed the knife in my shoulder and pull it out.

**Sharp enough for you?**

_Shut. The. Fuck. Up._

I sit up intent on finishing the job only to see Burke limp toward the door.

**Mal DON'T!**

I ignore **Beast **as I tackle Burke. The flimsy door falls off its hinges and flies into the night. I didn't count on our momentum to force us to follow it's trajectory. I feel us flip over the railing and I feel weightless for a second before we both slam onto the tier below us. Causing the rusted stands to groan in protest before finally giving way and crumpling the tier gives one last great screech as the tier breaks off and slides down the hill until it hits the stronger supports catapulting me and Burke into the muddy waters housing the atomic bomb. I gasp for air as I pull my face out of the muddy water, the dark sludge stings my eyes and blind me. I feel hands grasp my head and slam it back into the metal of the bomb.

"You. Stupid. Boy!" Each word is punctuated with the sound of my head slamming into the bomb.

Burke then picked me up and threw me at the edge of the pool. I finally manage to wipe the muck away from my eyes just in time to see Burke attach the pulse charge to the bomb. I hear people shouting trying to find out what's happening, but everyone is in the top tiers housing. Burke turned to me after punching the final command code in. His pristine suit now was dyed black from the sludge, and was ripped in various places. His top hat was missing and his face had taken a beating. Calmly he walked forward and pulled a 10mm silenced pistol from inside his coat. Slowly I move my hand beneath my coat searching for the handle of my .32.

"You know you almost killed me Mal. Sure gave me a good beating but you know you're best wasn't good enough and now you'll have front row seats to the power of the old world." He finally kneeled in front of me and placed the silencer between my eyes.

"Any last words?" He sneered and cocked the hammer back.

"Yeah, fuck you." I leaned my head to the right and pushed the barrel enough to dodge the bullet.

I quickly drew my .32 before Burke could readjust fired. The bullet tore through his stomach and caused him to pause. I pressed my advantage and threw a right hook. The blow caught him in the chin and flung him off me and into the water. Fatigue and blood loss caused my vision to blur but, I force my body to get up. By some miracle I manage to stand and walk over to where Burke was floating. Burke gasped pitifully as he made a futile effort to keep his intestines and blood in his body.

"That's a wound. You won't die quick and hell if you were in a vault you'd probably live. See how red that blood is? It means the bullet didn't damage any organs." I grab him by the lapel of his suit and drag him to the bomb and prop him up against it.

"What are the deactivation codes?" I grab his face with one hand and force him to look at me.

"Fuck you. I'd rather die here in my shit than tell you anything." He spat some blood onto my face.

"Too bad for you, you don't have a choice." I wipe the blood off with one hand before I shove a thumb into his left eye.

His legs thrash in panic and he screams as I feel blood and the remains of his eye just fall out of its socket. I pull my thumb out of his socket. His remaining eye is looking at me with hate. His breathing is labored and I can tell he's about to break.

"MAL!" I look up and see Amata and the citizens of Megaton all armed with weapons aimed loosely at me.

"Shut up I'm working." I return my attention back to Burke.

"Tell me the fucking codes or I will tear out your other eye." Despite the pain Burke smiles and chuckles lightly.

"It doesn't matter anymore. I'll die in a few minutes and I'll take out this entire town with me." He leans his head back and laughs.

"Yeah you'll die but we won't. You have no idea the pain I can put you through before you die. Let's start with that other eye." I flip through my pip-boy and atomize a scalpel.

With quick precision I grab Burke's head and steady it.

**He's afraid.**

_As he should be. _

"Wait don't!"

I jab the scalpel into his flesh and start cutting around his eye.

"AHHHAHAHAHAHHH! NO! DON' CUT OUT MY EYE! HELP ME!" Burke doesn't have any energy to resist as I keep carving. I feel hands grab my shoulders but I push them off and continue.

"FINE! I'll TELL YOU! JUST STOP! JUST STOP!" I stop but I leave the scalpel in his face.

"What is the fucking password?" I growl out noticing we only had 30 seconds to disarm the bomb.

"Tango, Foxtrot, zero, zero." Burke groans out, the pain of the gut shot combined with the removal of one eye and the near removal of the other drains him of anything strength he has left.

I quickly punch in the code and press enter stopping the timer and deactivating the magnet holding the pulse charge to the bomb. I quickly grabbed it before it fell into the water. Without a word I walked over to a tavern right across from the bomb and sat on a stool. Finally I turned around to face the towns' people and worse Amata.

"Mal…what have you done?" Amata's face contorts with a mixture of disgust and horror no doubt of what I had just done.

"What needed to be done, Burke was going to blow up the town using the atom bomb. I had to stop him." Amata was about to respond but stopped when a firm grip landed on her shoulder.

Behind her stood an African American man clothed in a sheriff hat, and a worn duster. A Chinese assault rifle was on his shoulder.

"That's enough. Everyone go home and stay there. Me and the kid here are going to have a chat." The crowd hesitated but eventually dispersed.

Silver grabbed Amata and they disappeared into the crowd. The man and I watched as they left. After the last onlooker left the man walked over and plopped himself down on the stool next to me.

"Names Lucas Simms, the sheriff and sometimes mayor of Megaton. You know normally strangers that wander through here don't get into trouble until their second day." He chuckles lightly and I can't help but laugh under my breath.

"Sorry about that I didn't mean to break standard protocol." I laugh slightly but wince as I start to feel the effects of the fight.

"Yeah you certainly accomplished that." He points up at the trail of destruction that led up to Moirarty's Saloon.

"Ha. Well what are we going to do with him?" I pointed to Burke. The scalpel was still lodge in his face and he was motionless.

Lucas raised his rifle and shot him through the head. Burke's head twists violently before his body falls into the water fully submerging it. I grunt in approval. Lucas was proving to be someone that sees things like I do and not to mention a good shot.

"So I'm not in trouble am I?" I inquire as I grab another small pouch of quick seal from one of the hidden pockets in my coat.

"Not as far as I'm concerned. You did right by this town but the Burke incident has severely damaged your reputation with the local populous." Lucas pulled out a cigarette and lit it up. After taking a deep drag he seemed to relax a little more.

"Yeah…I wasn't expecting things to go down that way but, it was better than turning into dust." I tear the pouch open with my teeth and shrug off my coat; Lucas takes another drag and sighs.

"You know I saw someone interrogate a man like that once. Long time ago I used to run with the regulators a bunch of good folk that were tired of being abused, tired of the evil roaming the land, tired of living in fear every night. Anyway, four of us including myself stumbled upon two men. One fellow was clear as day a raider. The other a doctor the only reason I would come upon that conclusion was that he wore a doctor's uniform. Anyway the raider was missing all four limbs. Each stump cauterized with a hot pan on a fire nearby…" Lucas pauses for a second as the memory passes through his mind and I take the opportunity to pour the quick seal on my stab wound, it hurts just as much as it did the first time.

"My buddy Forester asked if we should stop this. But, I had this feeling in my gut that told me to wait…."

*****Flash Back (Lucas Simms)*****

"Tell me where my fucking family is!" I watched as the man shoved his thumb into the raider's eye.

I couldn't stop myself from wincing and neither could the others in my group as we watched the torture continue.

"You think I hurt you? You think this is the worst it can get. Well you're wrong you're dead wrong. You see I lived in The Pitt most of my life. It's amazing what the human body can handle. Most people think we are fragile but that's just wrong. I once saw a man run away from a trog after it had eaten his foot. I saw a slave crushed under twenty tons of steel ingots. He stayed alive for a few hours before I cut his throat out of mercy. I saw a woman survive after being gang raped for three days straight." The man pulled out of his pocket a straight razor with a black handle. He flicked it open and held it against the raider's skin right under his eye.

"Tell me what I want to know." He dug the blade into his skin cutting it slightly.

"I..I can't tell you…He'll kill me."

"And what the fuck do you think I'm doing now." The doctor dug in deeper and began cutting the raider's eye out. 

"AHAAAAHAHA! SOMEBODY HELP ME! ANYONE! PLEASE!" The raider's stubs of what used to be his arms and legs thrashed and waved pathetically around.

"Oh my god aren't we going to stop this?" Beverly raised her rifle but I pushed it down, before turning back and focusing back on the situation at hand.

STOP STOP STOP I'LL TALK! I'LL TALK." The raider finally broke.

****End Flash Back*****

"Bloody tears streamed down his face as he talked about a raider base nearby. We watched the man pick up a rock and smash it against the raider's skull. I remember him saying something about not wasting a bullet. I think that man was your father. Am I wrong?" Lucas looked toward me expectantly.

"Yeah, my dad told me about that story. Said a group of regulators helped him rescue my mother while I was still in her womb. However, he said that every one of them died." I reached out my hand and Lucas shook it.

"I was shot in the gut like that man Burke when I was escorting your parents out of the hide out. A wounded raider got me and I told your parents to go on. They left and I stayed behind to blow the cave entrance. Of course when I set off the charges a loose piece of rock flew and knocked me out. The dust from the cave saved my life. It soaked into the blood and caused the wound to scab over. I eventually managed to walk out of the cave and meet up with Lucky Harith a trader just starting out." Lucas chuckled and extinguished his cigarette on a nearby ash tray.

With some effort I managed to put on my coat again, in that time Lucas started talking again but I was so distracted I missed what he said.

"What?" I asked confused.

"I said you should head up to Moira to get taken care of." Instead of pointing to my shoulder he pointed to my pip-boy.

"That clicking of what I assume to be your Geiger counter is going off. Must have come from the water and the bomb, last I heard Moira was developing something akin to rad-away. Not to mention she's not that bad with stitching up wounds. Doc is stone drunk so he won't be much help right now." Simms watched quietly as I flipped through my pip-boy, and what I saw startled me.

"Six hundred fucking rads?! The clothes!" While I may have gotten out of the pool of water around the bomb I was still covered in clothes soaked with the water.

I quickly selected a random set of clothes and switched my current attire with the vault 101 jumpsuit. Immediately my Geiger counter stopped but now I was starting to feel nauseous. I managed to stand and began walking to Crater Side supply.

"You gonna be alright Mal?" Simms stood up ready to assist me.

"Yeah don't worry about me. With all the commotion we might have stirred up the world outside. You should do some rounds along the perimeter." My words sounded stronger than I felt.

"Yeah, I suppose you're right. Be safe Mal and although most people won't say this to you. Thanks." Simms marched out into the shadows to continue his patrol.

"Welcome." I said to no one in particular.

I continued my trek up to Crater Side. The ramps made the trek easier and faster and it only took me a few minutes to reach for the door. By now nausea had gotten to the point where I didn't know up from down, and I felt pain all over my body. I quickly knocked on it and leaned against the door. It was only a few seconds before I heard Moira's muffled footsteps approach the door.

"Who is it?" I heard a quiet click.

"It's me. Mal from this morning. I need your help with radiation." I could barely suppress the urge to throw up.

"Oh! Mal, I didn't expect to see you so soon." Moira sounded eager but she always did to my knowledge.

The door opened to reveal Moira in a thick cotton bathrobe holding a 10mm pistol.

"I need help. Too much radiation." I managed to cough out as she let me through.

"I can tell. You're positively glowing." She laughed slightly and pulled me over to a chair.

I was glad to sit down it helped with the nausea a little but I still felt pain throughout my body.

"Before we get started with the treatment I'm going to ask a few questions." She went behind the counter and pulled out a box that I assumed contained the treatment, and a notepad.

"Alright but let's make this quick. My skin feels like it's on fire." I quickly unzip the top half of my vault suit feeling the white T shirt underneath was already soaked through.

"Well first questioned answered. Now onto the second, if you had any advice to give what would it be?" Moira lightly bit down on the eraser of her pencil.

"The advice I would give is to find something to measure the radiation in an area, only go into radiated zones if it's of utmost importance, and never without protection. Keep rad-x or rad-away on you at all times." I groaned a little as I leaned my head back.

Moira asked a few more questions and I answered as much as I could. After ten minutes she put away the pad and began taking out the cure. At that point I could barely keep conscious. The world blurred but I could still hear her.

"I've never had a chance to test my rad-cure concoction on someone so heavily radiated. But, I'm sure it'll work out fine. Haha. Exicitng isn't it?" She didn't wait for me to respond. I could feel her hands grabbing one of my arms.

"Alright…a little brahmin milk….a couple of magnets, and maybe a few happy thoughts…" That was all I heard before everything went black.

*****Next day*****

The first conscious thought I had when I awoke was how good the damp towel felt on my head. I must have groaned or made some kind of noise because a soft voiced hushed me and removed the towel before replacing it with a cooler one. I cracked open my eyes thankful that the only source of light came from a lamp at the far side of the room.

"Amata?" I asked hopefully my vision was blurred but I could make out feminine features.

"Oh no. It's just me. Amata stopped by earlier this morning. She thought of the damp towel. She had to report for duty on the wall and she asked me to look after you." A cheerful voice broke through the hazy memories.

"Thanks Moira. I hope I didn't cause any trouble." My vision cleared revealing a grinning Moira.

"Oh no! In fact you may be the best research assistant ever! Not only did you give me a subject, namely yourself, to test out my Rad-cure, but, you also sufficiently gave yourself a lethal dose to give the concoction a real challenge. It even led to unexpected results!" She clapped happily as she finished.

"Unexpected results? What are you talking about?" I sat up slowly and leaned against the wall the bed was flushed against.

"Oh yes. Um…there was a teensy tiny um…mutation. The Rad-cure concoction was supposed to flush out the radiation and it did just that but it seems to have done something to you. Instead of completely flushing it out, your body used some of the radiation to heal itself. Look at your shoulder." I looked down to see a small scar on my shoulder.

"Woah…" I inspected the rest of my body and found all the wounds I gained over the last two days in the wasteland had completely healed.

"Incredible isn't it?" Moira leaned over and ran a hand down the scar on my shoulder.

"Do you think this is a permanent mutation?" I suppressed a shiver and gently grabbed her hand and let it drop to her side.

"I believe so. I took a few slides and studied the effects of radiation to your blood. It seems like you're blood cells collect the radiation and uses it to as a type of steroid. Boosting healing rates and actually creating new cells and repairing damaged ones. It is quite remarkable. However, this only happens when your body has sufficient radiation." She walked over to the microscope on a table nearby and gestured for me to come over.

Despite what I had gone through it felt like my body was new and improved as I moved off the bed. I wasn't that embarrassed to be in my boxers and T-shirt. I leaned down next to the microscope and watched as the cell activity repaired a damaged blood vessel.

"Wow. This is just incredible." I looked up and smiled at her but stopped as I saw her frown.

"Yes indeed it is. Unfortunately it is impossible to replicate." She sighed before leaning against the wall.

"Why? What makes me different?" My face changed from one of excitement to one of confusion.

"I have no idea why. It's possible that everything just came together to create the perfect storm. The ingredients I used were just basic things you could find around the wasteland sure but, something is different with you. Our D.N.A is malleable to an extent however, it seems like yours just adapted and found the right traits to bring out and what traits to throw away. In this case, it mutated to take radiation and increase your healing factor. In a way it is similar to the healing factor in ghouls when they come into contact with radiation." She concluded as she brought her hand to her chin in deep thought.

"Hmmm…you may be onto something. From my father's research he gathered data about the longevity of ghouls. He said that ghouls have lived this long because their cells seemed to be charged with radiation, and while they still need food to survive their bodies have capitalized on the need for radiation and lowered the need for nutrition. The food only gives ghouls the base nutrition to repair cells however; they can only repair cells for so long before cells are just unusable. This leads to more cells dying then are being repaired which eventually turns them feral and contribute to their current looks. I hypothesize that I was well on my way to becoming a ghoul but, with the help of your rad-cure concoction my body was able to use the time to adapt and instead of making my cells attuned to just radiation it made my body a hybrid. Meaning that while I am fine without radiation if it is introduced to my body it doesn't cause any detrimental harm but can actually help me if I am injured and create new cells which cannibalize the old cells and replace them. Almost like the pre-world lizard when it loses its tail, it may be possible for me to regrow limbs depending on how radiated I am." I finished talking and began losing my train of thought.

"Perhaps, but still even though you're healing powers activate with radiation it's still possible to die from too much. On the whole this mutation is more beneficial than harmful." Moria finished happily and clapped her hands together.

I turned toward her and watched as I watched her bounce on the balls of her feet.

"So what happens next?" I pull up my pip-boy before choosing simple vault attire.

"Well I still need help with my book. Feel up to the task?" She lightly grabbed the edge of her left sleeve between her fingers and played with the worn fabric.

"Sure. What's left for the first chapter?" I walked back to the bed and collected my weapons from the foot of the bed.

"Well it's up to you. I need some research done with mines and food and medicine collection. I don't mind which one you do first." She shrugged her shoulders and pushed off the wall.

"Food and medicine sounds good right now." I lightly grip my stomach as a small tremor of hunger goes through me.

"That's good. Also it's closer. There's a Super Duper Market just half a mile from here. Be careful. I heard from Simms that a group of migratory raiders have taken up a base in there." She pulled a makeshift map from one of the many pockets she had in her jump suit and pointed out the crude drawing of a building labeled "MARKET".

I quickly logged down the coordinates on my pip-boy and smiled.

"Here I go on another adventure. Hopefully it went better than my meeting with Burke." I chuckled lightly as Moira escorted me out.

"Hopefully. I can't have my best research assistant get killed or maimed in the field." Moira opened the door and I turned my head to say goodbye just in time to feel her press her lips against mine.

**Strawberries/**_Strawberries_**.**

I barely felt anything as she pushed me out the door and lightly closed it.

**Wow kid. She has something for you. **

_Ha…maybe. I could do with some company at night._

**Giving up on Amata? **

_No…but she already has someone else. It's been years…years. I need to move on. I can't be sitting on the sidelines anymore. I need more than sympathy. Maybe what I need comes with red hair and lips that taste of strawberries. _

**Ha. A big romantic at heart Mal. Nothing changes. **

"Hey!" I turned toward the voice and saw Amata walk up the scaffolding on my left.

_Some things do. _

"Hey." I took in her new appearance, leather armor covered her body and some metal pieces provided more protection against small caliber bullets but her hair stayed in the same bun.

"You know you sleep more now than you ever have in the vault. You're not exactly a bullet dodger are you Mal." She smiled and this time I noticed that she didn't wince as her cheek pulled on the scar.

"How's the wound?" I gestured to her cheek and she lightly traced the scar tissue with a finger.

"Better. It finally healed up fully and I took my final dose of med-x. That stuff makes me dizzy." She smiled again and this time gestured to the new weaponry on her back.

"Huh. An assault rifle? What happened to the sniper rifle?" I flipped through my pip-boy and selected my trench coat and with a quick flash it rematerialized on me.

"Ran out of ammo taking out some wannabe raiders from the wall, Simms scouted it out and found that they were at the Super Duper Market. So I traded in my sniper rifle in return for this assault rifle." She pulled it up and handed it to me.

I quickly ejected the magazine before dry firing it once. The firing pin let out a soft click. I quickly reloaded it and handed it back.

"Good buy. Silver pick this out for you?" I looked across the city and spotted the new house I apparently joint owned with Silver and Amata.

" Nope. I got this one myself. Learned how to fire it myself too." She smiled lightly like a lost puppy.

I smiled lightly and put my hands in my pockets.

"So feel up for an adventure? I heard there's a good ol' time at the local grocery store."

"Mal, are you asking me out on a date? Because if you are I'll have you know that I am expensive." She smiled that same cocky smile of hers and I barked out a laugh.

"I don't mind the price tag. I'm just worried if you can keep up." I feel a smirk creep up on my face.

"Let's make it a game then. Whoever has the most kills by the end of this adventure wins the caps gained from the loot." She held out her hand and I saw the huntress emerge.

"Deal." I gripped her hand and I felt the darkness in me stir a bit.

We let go at the same time and stared walking toward the gate.

**A Few Hours Later 10 P.M at night**

We circled around a prewar bus and watched as two raider guards drunk themselves stupid next to a flaming barrel.

Silenced reigned between us, a heavy blanket of something reminiscent of what had happen the night before.

"Hey Mal?" I didn't have to look toward her because I could already visualize the expression of fear on her face.

"What?" I whispered back.

"About last night…I've never seen you do something like that…" I could hear some wonder in her voice.

"I learned it from my father. He taught me a lot of things. Doesn't it scare you?" I peeked again and saw one of the guards had fallen asleep on a chair nearby as his partner patrolled the parking lot.

"At first it did, but it was necessary…wasn't it?" She sounded so innocent.

"Absolutely, this ain't no place for no hero but even without my father's plan, I would have helped Megaton. Without the scrap metal fortress the wasteland would sink and by extension the rest of humanity would fade further into extinction." I couldn't add on that Moira was there as well.

"That's all I needed to hear. I'll focus on the mission again." I could hear the huntress take its place once more behind me.

"I never do something violent if I can help it. Unfortunately there's no other alternative to these matters except violence." I raise my hand in a fist and she stops before giving a retort.

Soft footsteps crunch the gravel ahead of us and I follow the shadow of a figure as it walks in front of the bus a few feet in front of me. The raider stops for a second and pulls out a cigarette. Slowly I duck walked behind him before popping up and wrapping my arms around his neck and apply pressure. My choke works quietly even though a few grunts escape from his throat. I feel a hand try to tear at my face. But I quickly brush it down with my free arm before applying more pressure. After a few more seconds the raider stopped moving and I snapped his neck for good measure. Amata hadn't stood idle as I dealt with the raider in front of the bus. I watched as she removed her knife from the eye of the sleeping, well now dead, raider. We both grabbed whatever we could find before we transferred the bodies into the bus.

We quickly formed up on opposite sides of the doors to the market.

"Do you want to go quite or loud?" She asked as she flicked the safety off her rifle.

"Quite. We don't know their numbers and if anything we can get in and out without their knowing if it's too hot." I pulled out a combat knife and a 10mm pistol as I nod to her.

She pulled out the same combo and nodded back.

"Well what are we waiting for?" I smirked as I lightly pushed the door open.

**Whew I've been working on this chapter for a while because I couldn't decide what would happen. But Hopefully the wait was worth it. **


	5. It's all over folks

I regret to inform you guys that I will be deleting all my stories including the newer ones. I cannot in good faith continue writing these because they hold no interest to me. I shouldn't say that. It's not that I have no interest it is that I've been trying to define my writing style for years and I've decided that what I was writing and how I felt when I write has changed. Because of this I cannot continue my other stories. So instead of giving you all half baked plots and stupid characters I will take this time to develop what I really want to write and then put my stories out. One more I am sorry to my fans and the people who enjoy reading my stories. Hopefully when I put out the next generation you all will continue reading them. Thank you all for the support.


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